The Governor watched the leave and turned back to the crowd of people watching anxiously. "You had better clear out now. " The people filed out talking excitedly over the development, Haytham and his expectant widow being a well-known feature of the dock. When everyone left but the guards the door was locked. Haytham watched the governor from where he knelt. "What do you want?" Connor's drew up and looked between them. "You're not pointlessly cruel. What do you want for her life?" The governor sighed. "I want to know that I can trust you. Conveniently enough I think I have a way." He stood and walked to chest turning unlocking a drawer and pulling out a stack of paper. "You know your father's base was around here?" Haytham nodded. "He supposedly hid some treasure somewhere on this island. The rumors have become wide spread lately which is why we've had such a problem with pirates and smugglers. He said that only an Assassin of your line would be able to find it. I had wondered if you could, if it was in the blood or in the training. Now it looks like we have another way. Find it and you can take her and go." He eyed Connor.
Connor looked between them. "Why would your father hide something for an Assassin?" Governor Roberts laughed. "Does he truly not know?!" Haytham shook his head before sighing and addressing Connor. "Because he was an Assassin himself. As was I before his murder when I was 10. Afterwards I found enlightenment and a new family in the form of the Templars. Not unlike I was hoping for you to find reason and join us someday." Roberts nodded and Haytham and Connor were released to come to his desk and survey the sheets. Haytham looked at him suddenly. "We're free to go, right? I have use of the ship?" Roberts nodded. Haytham moved to the door but Connor stood before him. "Will you let her know?" Roberts laughed. "No. I would not give her false hope in case you do not succeed. I will hang her if I must." Connor's voice was angry but his eyes pleading. "She watched her father hang. You have to know this is one of her greatest fears." Roberts leaned back and met his eyes. "And one of my wife's greatest fears was an assassin sneaking into the fort and killing me and our son as her father and brother where killed so many years ago. How do you think she feels tonight?" Haytham returned to the desk and grabbed Connor's arm. "We have to go now. The sooner we leave the sooner she'll be safe."
Connor turned and followed Haytham as he grabbed someone he recognized from the crew of the ship. "Load up with supplies. Full up. We sail immediately." He turned and ran for Carolyn's room, grabbing his weapons and strapping them on. Connor's walked to the bed, pulling the blade from under the pillow and turned to Haytham. He held out the dagger. "They will not let her keep it. Hold it for now. I will carry it with me when we sail. Haytham nodded, tucking the blade in his belt. He turned and went to his own room throwing supplies into a bag hurriedly. Connor watched him. "You know where it is?" Haytham shook his head. "No, but the letters mention hiding a map at the house." Connor sighed in relief. "So where did he live when he was here?" Haytham shook his head. "The dates. The dates on the letter are from when we lived in England." "England! The trip alone can take 2 months!" Haytham closed the bag and threw it over his shoulder. "And we have about 4 to make it there, back and to find something hidden for over 50 years. Now move!"
The next morning Carolyn was surprised to see the governor's wife escorted personally by her son appearing outside her cell. She dropped her eyes from the woman and folded her hands in her lap as they opened the door. Margaret stood before her, her eyes unreadable. "Do you know your husband's grandfather murdered my father and brother?" Carolyn's eyes flew up. "Haytham's father? No, I heard that he was a pirate but even that only recently." The woman eyed her curiously. "A pirate and an Assassin." Carolyn gasped. "He did not tell you? I did not thing Haytham kept any secrets from you." She shook her head. "I did not know. But I have kept secrets from him as well." Margaret gestured for her to stand. "Come on. Your room has been made ready for you again. Bring your things." She reached down and picked up one of the projects from the basket and held it up. "Assassin, Templar, Assassin. What will your child be?" Carolyn could only shake her head. "Only time will tell."
She followed them up the stairs to her room, eyeing the bars now set in the window and the slots for a heavy bar across the door. "Your meals will be delivered 3 times a day. Maggie will be continuing her supervision of your condition." She pointed to the pull chain for the bell. "We will not have you guarded all the time. If you need something pull the bell but the servant who answers will be accompanied." Carolyn walked to the window, looking down at the dock below through the bars now embedded in the stone. A crowd on the dock looked up at her form and pointed and she drew back from the window. Margaret looked over her shoulder down at the people. "They think you're a tragic romantic figure you know." Carolyn snorted. "Why?"
She laughed and turned to take a seat on the couch. "Because of your performance last night. They were already all a twitter about Haytham and your touching reunion with each believing the other dead. Now it turns out that you married his son and are carrying his child and fled back to, as they would have it, civilization. The town is convinced that he has been searching the seas for you since your disappearance and that he is the one who found Haytham, not the other way around. And then when he was captured you fell to your knees and offered your life in exchange for his freedom. Not to mention the whole bit with the candle. Was that true?" Carolyn nodded and sat on the couch opposite her. "It's true. I cannot help who I am any more than he can." She met Margaret's eyes. "I'm sorry for your loss, but Connor is no more his grandfather than Haytham is. He's a good man. Yes, he kills, so did Haytham, but his heart is good." There was a tap at the door and it opened as a young woman entered bearing a tray with tea and food. She placed it on the table between them and exited the room quietly, the guards rebarring the door from the outside. Margaret sat up and poured a cup of tea, handing it across to Carolyn. "Tell me about him." She accepted it and took a drink gratefully before relaxing back on the couch to begin the story of her move to Davenport.
After the hurry to be off the time on the ship seemed never ending. Haytham used the time to work out on the deck, trying to rebuild some of the strength and speed he had lost in his time as port master. It wasn't that he neglected himself but more that the position was a very sedentary one and time was rapidly catching up to him. Connor watched him briefly and then joined him, the physical exertion relieving some of the stress. Haytham watched him carefully. "You're favoring your right side now. Be careful of that. You never used to." Connor sighed and adjusted himself putting more weight into his left side and grunted with exertion. Afterwards he sat back, stretching out the sore muscles. "I see what you mean." Haytham considered him. "So what happened? Did you get too close to someone?" Connor shrugged. "When I fought Charles there was an explosion. The initial damage was not too bad but I reopened the wound later jumping from a building."
Haytham shook his head. "You need to be more careful. You can't keep throwing yourself out of windows. You're not as young as you used to be." Connor stretched out beside him, watching the sea as they sailed. "I was getting Carolyn from a burning house. That was the night she agreed to stay and marry me." Haytham's hands tightened on the railing. "We'll find it. I know we will. We must."
Connor shook his head, his hands going the dagger he now wore on his belt and pulling it loose to study. "I don't understand how she could do this. Why? Why did she not let them hang me?" Haytham sighed. "I would say it's probably because she loves you." "Even after everything I've done to her?" Haytham shrugged. "So it would seem. Besides she cannot fight her nature any more than you can fight yours." Haytham sighed. "If she had been a boy she would have undoubtedly been one of those fool guards who rushed you in groups even after watching you kill all their brothers in arms. Her nature is to run to trouble. It was her father's too but he channeled his into his work. It's like she seeks to be a sacrifice." Connor's eyes narrowed. "Is that why you sent her to me?" Haytham's eyes widened in disgust. "No! I thought you would keep her safe! I knew after my death there would be a power struggle. At least while I lived I could protect her. And as long as people thought she was to marry Charles they left her alone. But with me gone I didn't know what would happen. I knew she didn't want to marry him. She would have if I asked but she did not care for him. I thought to get her out of the city. It never occurred to me that… well I guess it's been a while since I've been young." He sighed. "I just wanted her to be safe and happy."
Connor turned his attention back to the sea. "She was. I think she was. I thought she was. Did she ever speak of me?" Haytham shook his head. "No, she said she had married a sailor but could not bear to speak of it. She mourned you. I truly thought her husband dead." He glanced over at Connor curiously. "Did she ever speak of me?" He shook his head. "Only indirectly. She said you saved her life and educated her. She mourned for you too. If I had known it was you she spoke of I would have told her." Haytham leaned on the railing heavily. "I never had any other children. And I wasn't there for you. She's bright. Teaching her was an honor. My own father never taught my sister of logic or science. But to see someone so bright and leave her in ignorance because of her sex seemed a foolish waste." Connor laughed. "I'm not sure she would have stayed in ignorance in any case. She's very resourceful." He stretched and turned back to the ship, telling his father stories of her adventures in town. The tension lessoned between them as Haytham regaled him with tales of the things she had gotten into growing up.
Haytham glanced over his shoulder at Connor. "What did your mother ever say about me?" Connor flushed. "Not much I'm afraid. She said you were strong. And a good fighter. And that you lied to her." Haytham grimaced. "I didn't mean to. I just didn't want to hurt her. I guess history repeated itself." Connor shook his head. "At least we had some time. More than a day." Haytham laughed. "A day? We had more than day. Is that what she said?" Connor flushed. "She only spoke of one day in the cave. That's part of the reason I've always been so careful. Carolyn's the first person I've allowed myself to love. I didn't want to find out later I had a child that I knew nothing of." Haytham's eyes were on a distant scene. "2 months. We were together 2 months and they were the happiest of my life. I don't regret that you were the result of those months. It took you 6." Connor flushed. "A little more than that truth be told. Both before and after. Though it seems the after was the problem." Haytham's eyes went wide. "I raised her! Spare me the details!" Connor turned red but Haytham laughed and wrapped an arm around him. "That's my boy." His tone was suddenly serious. "Just don't repeat my mistake. Be there for your child." Connor nodded. "I want to. Do you think when this is over that she'll come with me? I asked her to but she wanted to stay with you." Haytham grimaced. "When this is done if she's safe I'll go with you. She'll listen to reason. And if she's not you'll take the child." Connor grimaced. "And you'll help me raise it?" Haytham shook his head. "If I'm around afterwards. She made you swear to put the child first. I made no such promises. If they hurt her I'll get revenge enough for all of us." Connor's hand tightened on Haytham's shoulder. "It's not what she would want." Haytham shook his head. "No, but she won't be around to be disappointed in me."