Shards of Peace
(Hey guys, this early chapter goes out to all my lovely followers, favoriters, and reviewers! I won't be able to post again until this weekend because my busy schedule. But thanks guys so much! All you Connor fans might like this chapter ;)) Omfg i made some many mistakes fixing them now. Sorry!
"And who's this?" Achilles inquired.
"This is Annie," Connor says as she looks at the ground nervously.
"So not only do you go missing for two weeks, you come back with a girl!" He stomps his cane and shakes his head.
"I am a grown man, Achilles. I was out on business." Connor defends himself as Annie remains silent.
"That doesn't explain this woman."
"She is a friend."
"A friend? So what? You bring her here and tell her all your secrets?"
"She is here to fight with me, not against me."
"Who is she? What can she do?" Achilles backs off a bit.
Connor takes a deep breath, and Annie looks at him. He debates whether or not to tell Achilles who she really was or not. But what's the use in lying to the old man.
"This is Annie Pitcairn… John Pitcairn's daughter."
The old man's eyes go big and Annie bites her lip.
"You brought the enemy's daughter?" He hits Connor in the shoulder with the cane and Connor doesn't flinch, accepting the blow. "What in gods' name is wrong with you!?"
"She can help," Connor said calmly.
Achilles is silent for a minute, shaking his head in disapproval. "Out of all the women out there, you choose a Templar's daughter…" he murmurs to himself.
He turns around to walk away muttering "At least she's pretty…"
"I can be useful, I promise." Annie says with a small smile.
He turns around and looks over her. "Can you cook?"
"Yes sir." Her smile widens.
"Then you can stay."
Connor and Annie look at each other with relief.
"There is an extra room up here, follow me." She follows Connor up the stairs, into a large room. She tosses her bag on the bed and looks around. Satisfied, she looks back at Connor.
"Thank you Connor, truly." She says to him with a sincere smile.
He nods, "You are welcome, sleep well." With that he walks out and shuts the door.
…
When Connor woke up the next morning, he heard the clattering of pans and feminine laughs.
Muzzily, he sits up and wipes his eyes before getting up and dressing. He decided not to put on his robes just yet, and walks down the stairs in his pants, boots and white shirt. It felt natural to have his arms exposed, so he basked in their bareness.
He walked down the stairs slowly, smelling the wonders of cooked food. Usually when he woke up for breakfast, he would fend for himself for food. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw Achilles sitting and eating. He swallowed and motioned Connor over.
"When she said she can cook, she actually meant it." He says before getting another spoonful of eggs.
Annie laughs lightly, and comes up behind Connor and places a plate down on the table in front of him. Connor thanks her and sits down to eat. He eats the food appreciatively and rather unceremoniously. She puts the left overs on a large plate and placed it in the center of the table. Both men had eagerly finished them off, and she smiles to herself, satisfied.
They lean back when they're finished, the food all gone. Annie cleans up, and Achilles thanks her and goes up stairs. Connor lends a hand in cleaning up by getting the dishes. Once they finish, Connor leans against the table, facing the small, died down fire. Annie comes up beside and sits next to him on the large table.
Annie was wearing a white shirt tucked into a navy cotton corset connected to a navy skirt that almost went to her knees. Underneath it were thick white skirts creating a blown out figure. Her long hair was down in large wavy curls, with some short pieces pinned back. She looked stunning, he admitted to himself. They were close, her shoulder pressed against his arm.
"So Connor, tell me, when you're not hunting down Templars, you spend your time here?" Annie breaks the clam silence.
The sun was breaching through the window, creating patterns on the floor. "Yes," he replies. "It is not often, but I try to come when I can to check on the old man. I am thinking about hiring a sick nurse to watch over him. I worry sometimes". He looks at her too her looking intently at him.
She places a gentle hand on his. "Achilles is a strong man; he told me he used to be an assassin as well. Not only an assassin, but the master. Back in the ole' days." She smiled and looked in to the fire.
"He told me a lot about you too," she continues.
"Like what?" He asks as he looks at her.
Her lips create a soft smirk, "Oh nothing too personal, just about how you were when he first met you. Not like he had a choice, really."
"I used to think he hated me sometimes when I was younger."
She laughs, "He said he had to fight you on everything. You always thought you were right. But he said he loves you, like a son."
Connor's face softens, and a sincere smile forms. "Sounds about right." Suddenly he thinks of an idea. "I have something to show you," he says as he pulls away. She hops off the table and waits for him at the door while he fetches his robes. When he comes back down she follows him outside to the stables.
"Shouldn't we tell Achilles?"
"We are not going far, and won't be gone long." He pulls a white horse from the stable and leads the mare to her. He holds out a hand to help her, but she ignores it and hops onto the horse herself without his aid. He then gets on his appaloosa, and signals for her to follow.
"What's her name?" Annie asks about the mare.
"Rose."
"Where are we going anyways?" she asks while patting Rose's neck. She spurs the horse to walk beside Connor's.
"You will see, it is a surprise." He says as he glances at her. She gives him a look, but they continue on down the dirt trail.
Annie studies the wilderness as they ride. "You know, I've never been out in the forest before. Father would never let me," she reminisces. "Always said the wolves would eat me, if the bears didn't get me first."
Connor smiles pleasantly, "I will take you hunting one day."
She looks at him, "I'd like that."
They come close to the river, and walk on the shore until they can hear shouts of laboring men. The air above the water was still dense with thick fog.
They trot up the hill to see cabins and groups of men working. Annie gasps when she spots the silhouette of the ship. They get off their horses and walk to the docks.
"She's beautiful." She whispers.
"This is the Aquila." Connor says as she stares lovingly at the ship.
"Ay Connor!" Robert Faulkner says from the boat. "Oi," he exclaims when he sees Annie. "And hello to you, pretty lady."
She smiles and does a curtsy. "Are you the captain?" She asks as he walks off the boat onto the docks.
"Ah, Connor owns that honor. I am merely a co-captain, m' dear." Robert puts a hand on Connor's shoulder.
"She's amazing."
"Her name's the Aquila, fastest ship from here to Singapore on her best days."
"I've been told."
"Would you like to take a look?" Connor asks.
"Of course!" She practically runs onto the ship, greeting the crew members she came across.
Connor stayed on the docks with Robert for a little bit.
"Is she your-?"
"Companion."
"Ooh, companion eh?" Robert says with a portentous smile.
"Not like that."
"Ah, well she's a keeper if you ask me. She speaks my language."
Connor nods, "Aye," and he climbs onto the ship after her. He wondered if Robert meant language by love for the open seas and ships.
He caught her studying the wood work of the ship. She notices him approach and gives him her attention.
"She reminds me of my old ship," She says smiling and she leans against a peg.
"I do not think I will ever understanding calling a ship a 'she'." He leans against the wall of the ship across from her.
She laughs lightly, "I guess it's a sailor thing."
"Well," Connor says with a breath. "The Aquila is at your disposal. Whenever we take her out, you can act as captain if you wish to."
Her eyes go wide and light up, "Really?!"
"Of course."
She smiles and rushes to him, pulling his face to hers as she kisses him on the lips. Caught by surprise, he didn't have time to react before she pulled away. Some of the haughty crew members were clapping and hooting. They both ignored them.
"Thank you!" She pulls him into a friendly embrace. Their size difference made it slightly obstinate. "You have shown me great kindness." Connor wraps an arm around her upper back awkwardly. She pulls her head up and has a big smile on her lips. "Can I go inside?"
"If that is what you wish."
She pulls away and runs to the door leading below deck, and he watches her small form disappear. He decides to let her be, and explore the ship on her own. Robert comes back onto the deck to talk to him.
"Just friends huh?' Robert questions as he approaches.
"She is just excited. Her ship was… confiscated."
"So she's a sailor? Well good fer' you! You know Connor, I never expected you to be a ladies man. Of course you're always nice and respectful. I can see it happenin'." Robert elbows him in a joking way but Connor just throws him a look.
Connor still felt tingling on his lips, and tried to act like it meant nothing to him. It's not like he had never been kissed by anyone. Even though they were on a friendly basis, he wondered how she wasn't repulsed by him, the man who murdered her father. They had discussed this, of course. But she was always quick to brush it off before it got anywhere.
When she emerges finally, she is lighthearted and nearly dances back over to Connor.
"So how do you like 'er?" The captain asks with a nice smile.
"Oh, she's amazing!"
Connor interrupts, "We should probably head back to the manor, Annie. Thank you Robert."
"Of course, anytime Connor. My ship is yours." He nods with a farewell smile.
All the way back, Connor tried to deter himself from the kiss. But the primal part of him dwelled on it.