A Besotted Man

(I made some mistakes last chapter guys, sorry! Nothing too major though. But here is my next chapter! I will try to update as soon as I can. I promise 3)

They had been at the Davenport manor for a little more than three weeks. Connor admitted to himself that Achilles was getting fat from all the food Annie was making. But he was happy, and Connor longed for nothing else.

Connor also realized Achilles had a way with words. He got Annie to open up, without even asking her. She told them about her life. Even the small things, like how her brother was caught with another woman on his wedding night. She also talked about her father and the Templars.

"It's hard to push back the thoughts of my father's… death. I tell myself it was inevitable. Which it was, I admit. I always knew the Templars strove for power and order. But I never knew what they did. And now I know why my father never told me." She looked down at her hands, trying to conceal her conflicting emotions.

Connor would be lying if he didn't feel bad. But John Pitcairn's death was justified by purpose. They both knew that. Annie was just having a hard time coming to terms and accepting that. Not that he blamed her.

While they bonded, Connor had thought about mapping his future plans out. Israel Putnam had retreated after Connor's personal victory by assassinating the Major. But he was told to lie low, so he was keen on doing just that. He could spend his time honing his skills, and helping Annie increase hers.

He sent a letter to Samuel and Washington, and he was waiting for their reply, until today.

A courier arrived, with a letter from both of them. Annie had answered the door, and sent him on his way with a thank you and seven pounds.

"Connor!" She called, "You have letters." He emerged from the den, and she handed them to him. She left him alone to read them as he retreated upstairs.

He sat at a desk, and read over the one from George Washington first. It read:

Connor,

I wish to thank you for the semi-victory at Bunker Hill. Putnam does as well. I am sorry to say that I have no missions for you right now. I have decided to let our fight rest temporarily so we can regroup and build back up our forces. I will send for you again when the need arises.

G. Washington

Connor pursed his lips, and then opened the other letter Samuel Adams.

It ultimately said the same thing, but added a recommendation of staying out of the Templar ruled cities for multiple reasons. The Templars seemed to be more short-tempered than ever. He decided to heed to that warning.

He threw both letters into the fire before coming back down. Annie had hopeful eyes when she saw him come down the stairs.

"Washington is regrouping, and Adams suggested staying out of the cities." He left out one detail that Sam has added that he should address. Sam said that the Templars think he kidnapped Annie. Whether it was what they legitimately thought, or a stunt to make people pursue him, he didn't know. All Connor knew was that the last Annie had heard from the Templars was when they forcibly took her in for questioning.

Achilles nodded, "You best listen to them. There are many things to do until they summon you again." He motions towards Annie, "Teach her how to get around. She needs a lot of work on climbing.

She frowned and threw him a playful glare. "I'm not that bad."

"When you were hunting, I tested her skills." Achilles pointed out. "She fell and nearly split her head."

Annie lets out a 'humph' and Connor nods, agreeing with Achilles.

"We can begin next week."

"Next week?" They ask in unison.

"Yes, I was thinking about taking the Aquila out."

Annie's eyes get big with excitement, and Achilles gives him a look. "Always with that damned boat."

Connor looks back at Annie, "If you want, of course."

She stands up, "Of course I do." She says with a smile.

Connor nods with a smirk while Achilles shakes his head disapprovingly. "Pack for a week."

Annie runs up the stairs to pack, with an eager smile.

…

Annie loved the feeling of sticky sea air her. She stood on the bowsprit, one hand on her burgundy tricorne and the other on the ship. Her cream dress was blowing, along with her hair. She turned to look at Connor with a smile before walking over to him.

"I just love the open seas."

"As do I. I uh… I have something to show you. Well, Robert insisted I show you." Annie follows him. They go past working and loitering crew members to the Captains quarters.

He shuts the door behind them, and then walks towards the desk on the right side of the room, opposite of the large bed. On the desk was a piece of paper along with a vial of ink and a white feather.

"Robert made schemes for the ship. He wants your opinion."

She looks at the parchment, seeing it was a drawing for a wooden figure to be attached to the bow of the ship. Most ships had mythical figures of mermaids and such, but this was a woman in a sailors dress. "A sea maiden. It's nice-" then she takes notice of the details. "She looks like…"

"You."

She looks up at him with bright eyes.

"It was Robert's idea. I think he likes you. He proposed it to me earlier, and we wanted to ask what you think, and if you like it or not."

She smiles, "I am honored."

"I will be sure to tell him. Now about where you will be sleeping. There are limited options, I am afraid."

"What's available?" She asks leaning against the desk.

"There are the commons, but you would be sleeping with the crew. That is not uh…" He had to think about it, not wanting to offend her. "Traditional."

"Oh I know. I could bunk here, if you don't mind."

"Uh," he was not expecting that. To be honest he didn't know what to do with her. He was prepared to offer the quarters to her.

"I understand if you're uncomfortable with that." She says to him, leaning closer to him.

Connor was wondering what was going through her head. Maybe she was testing his self-control and restraint. He is silent for a moment, "If you do not mind, then I do not either."

"It's settled then," her smile still evident while she hugs him. "You smell good." She mutters against his chest. He was wearing his captain's outfit, which she thought looked good on him.

"Thank you," he says with his eyebrows furrowed together.

She pulls away and he follows her back on deck. She looked around and saw shore not too far away as they sailed into the ocean.

"Where are we going, captain?" She asked Connor.

"We're off to Rhode Island to get our sea maiden ordered." Robert said coming up behind them.

"Oh, I wanted to thank you!" She said as she embraced the older man and he laughed and squeezed back joyfully.

"Yer' welcome. I knew when I firs' met you that you had sailors blood in ya'. Connor's a smart man fer' pickin' you out."

Annie could faintly smell alcohol on his breath. "Aye, that he is." She looked back at Connor and noticed his cheeks had a little tint of pink from a light blush. She smiled at him.

Connor had moved to replace the man at the wheel, taking control. She came to his side, watching the sailors work the ropes, moving to full sail. "Would you like the wheel?"

"Oh no thank you, I'm just looking around." She sits on the railing, listening to the sailors sing. She hummed along to some familiar songs, and occasionally threw a glance and smile at Connor.

The further they sailed, the sky seemed to gradually get darker. She noticed some of the crew become faster paced and worried, as did Robert. Connor did a good job disguising his anxiety though.

It was about twenty minutes past eight when the rain finally started falling. Thankfully the large waves haven't started yet, but it was only a matter of time. Annie has sailed through some storms before, but she had an expert crew who knew what to do. She wasn't so sure about these men. Robert had confided her that his men knew what to do, and she trusted him. But when the lighting started, Connor insisted that she get out of the rain. She went to the captain's quarters, and was soon followed in by Connor.

Annie placed her hat on the hook and kicked off her wet boots. Connor came in and put up his hat up too before sitting in a chair that has a window beside it.

"Are you worried?" She asked Connor, noticing him playing with his hands.

He stopped and looked at her, "No, these men know what they are doing. As does Robert."

She nods and sits on the corner of the bed closest to him. "I hope it won't get too bad."

"Scared of a storm?"

"Hardly!" She gave him a playful glare. "I've been through my fair share."

He gave her a little smile, "Just joking. All will be well, I promise." There was a loud boom of thunder, and the lightning struck a couple seconds after.

She looked around, biting her lip. "I am about to change, don't look."

What. Connor thought. Why didn't she just ask for him to leave? He didn't look though; he just stared out the window. He could hear her clothes fall to the floor, and the rustling of silk. When she climbed back on the on the bed he looked at her again.

She was wearing a blue and white silk night dress that went to where her dress did. She still wore the white stockings, and her hair was still loose. Connor looked away, not wanting to stare.

"Do you want me to sleep on the floor?"

He shakes his head, "No, I will get a cot for me."

"You're too big for a cot, I'll use it."

"But-"

"Shut up, I'll use the cot."

He looks back at her, and she had her arms crossed.

He licks his lips, "I'll go get it now." Defeated rather quickly.

Connor gets up and goes to the large closet and pulls out a cot that was made of wood and had a very thin mattress on it. There were wooden stands underneath it that pulled out and raised it. Connor set it up while Annie pulled some large sheets of cloths from the closet to place over it. She placed a single pillow on it. When it was finished they stood side by side and looked at it.

Annie squints her eyes, "It looks like it was made for a child."

Connor scratches the back of his head. "I think it was."

She looks at him and then back at the cot.

"I think it's too small," he says as he reaches out to put it away. He doesn't take off the sheets, and just unfolds it and puts it back in the closet. When he turns around, he sees Annie folding out the sheets on the bed.

"Looks like I'm sleeping with you."

Connor just looked at her, and took a deep breath. He wondered how she thought nothing of this. Sleeping in the same bed with a man she was not… together with. Connor was not used to sleeping with other people, his time for that was way over.

He thought of how close she would be to him, the proximity of her while he was sleeping. It wasn't unsettling, in fact, it was almost the opposite. And that was what bothered him. He longed for her to be close to him.

But what was she thinking? Did she not care? He guessed not. Connor wasn't used to just getting to bed with another person. He was grateful she wasn't a man, that was where he would draw the line. He didn't really have a choice in the matter. The bed looked big enough for almost four people. And Connor was good about sharing, just not under these… circumstances.

So Connor just nodded, it shouldn't affect him as much as it was. This was just another test for himself.

Later that night he changed, and they talked a bit. The storm had gotten rougher, and they could not only hear it, but also feel it. He sat in the bad, next to her. They were close; her legs were together, and brushed up against his. The boat was rocking in an almost concerning way, and the sound of crackling lightening was loud and close.

"I hope the crew is faring well." She says as she pulls the covers over her nearly bare legs.

"They have probably switched, the night crew is most likely out now. Do not worry, all will be well," he comforts her again.

The loud sound of thunder turns her attention to the window. He noticed her skin was prickled, and he couldn't tell if it was because she was cold or worried.

"Try to go to sleep. When you wake up, it will be calm."

Connor blows out the oil lamp, and pulls the cover up over him and her. She lays on the set of pillows next him, no longer touching.

But Connor was amazed at how quickly she fell asleep, taking her only a matter of twenty minutes. Her breath was even and long. She involuntarily curled up next to him.

He eventually drifted off too. The sounds of the storm raging outside was still evident, along with some shouts of the men. When he was finally asleep, he didn't notice the men, the storm, or the woman curled onto him.

…

"Cap'n Connor! Are you—oh?"

Connor opened his eyes slowly to see a grinning Robert Faulkner in the door way. He felt something pressed into his side, and saw Annie sleeping. Her head was resting on the side of chest, with her arm drenched across his chest as well. His arm was resting around her back, while her hair frayed everywhere.

He looked back at Robert, "Do not ask," he says simply, trying to pull from Annie's embrace. She stirs a little, but does not wake up.

"Aye, well" Robert says with a wiggle of his eyebrows. "You got a ship to lead cap'n! No time for cuddlin'!"

Connor ignores him, and shoos him away before getting dressed. Before he leaves, he looks back at Annie. The left side of his body was still warm from her touch. It lingered with him the rest of the day. He still had a week of sleeping with a woman. This was part of being a man that he had yet to… encounter.

They made it to Rhode Island, and Annie had taken the wheel only once for a little bit. Robert had placed the order and paid, and they were simply off again back to the frontier.

While exposed to the sea, Connor noticed something about Annie. She was very nice, but in a cocky way. He could see how she would be getting into fights. A crew member commented on her, and she punched him square in the jaw. A normal lady would thank him and be on her way. But he could tell she wasn't just a normal woman. There was something that held authority in her. When she demands something, it was always done. No questioning. Connor found it alluring. He noticed when she was around other people, her demeanor changed. But while around him, she was more carefree and light hearted.

He also took note in how much of a… woman she was. She was flirty, and did show off her femininity. She would wear makeup and dresses that fit in her ways that kept him staring. He caught himself looking at her curves many times, and had to make himself stop. He had seen women before, of course he has, and even had intimate relations with a few on his own time.

The three weeks he spent with her and Achilles, he found himself attracted to her. Not just her appearance, but her personality. Though she was hot headed, yet she was genuine and he could see it. But sleeping with her on the ship made him realize how much he adores her company. He liked waking up to her clutching on to him. He would usually find company uncomfortable and irritating, yet it was not. But what confused him, was that he couldn't tell how she was feeling. He wanted to know if it was just him feeling this, or was it her as well.

People told him of promiscuous women, but Annie did not strike him as the type. Though she does use her charms to her advantage.

On their last night on the ship, Connor was talking to her while she was changing. In the corner of his eyes, he could see her near nude form. Cream skin was flushed against her black braziere and panties. He wanted to stop looking, yet he also didn't.

Connor was not used to this side of himself. He never thought he would be one of those easily besotted men. And that night when he went to sleep, his mind wondered in directions he would never admit.