Yeah, so I've been away for a long time. But, in my defense, I was caught up in end of the year work. You know how it is. It's worse this year because I'm a senior, and I have college stuff to worry about. But the good news is, I will be graduating next week! So I will have more time to focus on my beloved fanfiction. I do not own AC3!
First Mission
Assassin. I was an assassin. No matter how much I thought it, I still couldn't believe it. My new robes allowed me to carry all of my weapons; my dagger, my blow pipe, my bow and arrows and my poison blow darts/ throwing needles and knives. I preferred to use poison in my kills if I could, mostly because it was less intimate and quicker for the victims.
My knowledge of herbs had grown exponentially since I'd left Boston. My medicines became more efficient than even some of the apothecaries in town, maybe even surpassing my old neighbor. My success was mostly due to self experimentation. I never gave any medicine to anyone before I had tried it on myself. As a result I had become relatively resistant to poisonous substances, as most know, herbs can either heal or hurt depending on the dosage.
I made my own poisons from herbs and various other toxic substances found in the wilderness, my personal favorite being a combination of concentrated potato sprout, giant hogweed extract, deadly nightshade roots, and the venom of the timber rattlesnake. It killed almost instantly and was excellent for long range weapon use. I had even given some of my creation to Connor for his darts since it worked so well.
I had gained a reputation from my knowledge of medicinal and deadly herbs, and sometimes I would get visitors from outside the Homestead for my services. My most popular medicines were for fevers, pregnancy, common aches and pains, and menstrual cramps. However, I became known for my cure for impotence in men, the only person to have created a successful cure, albeit temporary. I had tested it on one of the men who lived here when he came to me with his problem. After a few different attempts with different combinations of remedies, he had reported that it had worked and his wife was now pregnant with their first child. As you can imagine, I became rather wealthy from the sale of this particular medicine.
Of course, I never used my real name during the sales of any of my products, as I was still a wanted woman. I took on my mother's name, Evelyn, instead, though people from the outside had given me nicknames such as "The Witch" or "the Potions Woman" which I didn't really appreciate. But not using my name allowed me to work undetected, so no one from outside with whom I would conduct business would spread my real name or my whereabouts. I didn't want James coming after me again, though now I was better equipped to defend myself.
I was essentially a long range fighter, a sniper, if you will. Because of my small size and weight, I was more lithe and able to perch myself in more precarious and strategic positions than Connor would be able to. It was also for this reason why I was at a disadvantage in a hands on fight. While I was great with my dagger, it can only go so far before strength comes into play. I would lose against Connor in a hand to hand duel four out of five times, just because of his superior brawn. Therefore, I tended to strike from the shadows. Stealth was one of my specialtieS. When Connor went out to do patrols, I was often near him as a cover. If we were to wipe out a scouting group, he would kill from below and I would kill from above. That way, we covered each other's blind spots.
But that's about all I'd ever done. I had never been in a real battle, nor had I assassinated anyone of importance. That was why it was so surprising that I had already been made an assassin. I had been expecting at least another year of training.
I laid on the roof of the manor with my arms and legs spread eagle, letting the sun warm my face. Today was the first in a long time that I didn't have training to occupy my time. It was quite relaxing. I could lay here all day...
"Ratonhnhaké:ton! Ratonhnhaké:ton!" There goes my peaceful afternoon. I sat up to find a Native man riding horseback up the street. The name he screamed was not familiar to me, but Connor was the only person here that he would have a reason to see. He was half Native after all. Perhaps Ratonhnhaké:ton was his real name?
I jumped from the roof and onto the porch, directly in front of the Native man. He looked startled by my sudden appearance.
"May I help you?" I asked politely, hoping that the man could speak English. I had to make sure he was not an enemy before he entered, though I was fairly sure he wasn't. He looked to the door and then to me.
"Yes, I must speak to Ratonhnhaké:ton. It is urgent." I nodded. This man was obviously in a hurry so it must be important. I opened the door to the house and called inside, loud enough that Connor and Achilles could hear me from the secret basement, where they were more than likely to be at this time of day.
"Connor!" I shouted. I looked to the stranger standing beside me, "what is your name?" I asked him.
"It is Kanen'to:ko" he replied. I nodded.
"Kanen'to:ko is here to see you!" I shouted through the door. I heard two sets of heavy footsteps, one slightly more uneven than the other, probably Achilles with his limp, climbing the creaky stairs from the basement. I stood back as Connor came into view.
"Kanen'to:ko! Why are you here? Has something happened?" He asked. I looked on in confusion. They sounded like they had a close relationship. I was both curious and envious at the same time. An old friend perhaps?
"William Johnson has returned, with all the money required to buy our land." Kanen'to:ko said quickly. William Johnson! I'd heard that name before! My dagger was originally crafted for that man. "He meets with the elders as we speak. I have begged them to resist but I fear he shall have his way unless you intervene." The man sounded desperate. Connor stepped forward.
"How is this possible? We destroyed the tea!" Was he talking about that night that he had come to hide in my room? I'd heard of the dealings that William Johnson had with the East India Company from the barmaid at the Greene Tavern. Perhaps he had been using the money from the tea to buy the land that Connor's village sat on? That seemed likely. I could tell where this was going.
I slunk away from the conversation and ran upstairs to my bedroom, a spare they had cleaned out for me the day after I came here. I started grabbing my weapons, my extra bottles of poisons, and my pack. I grabbed the things Connor would need as well from his room. When I had finally headed back down, Connor and Kanen'to:ko were walking out of the house towards the carriage parked outside. I nodded at Achilles as I passed.
"Keep that reckless boy from doing anything stupid!" He called after me. I waved my hand over my head to show I had heard and hurried out to where the two men began to get into the carriage waiting outside the manor. When I'd caught up to them, I thrust the extra arrows, ammunition, and whetstone into Connor's chest. He looked up, surprised. I smirked.
"Please. Did you think you were going alone?" I asked smugly and hopped into the carriage beside Kanen'to:ko. He too looked surprised to see me.
"Ratonhnhaké:ton, who is this strange girl?" He asked as Connor got into the carriage and closed the door. He bayed the coachmen, a recruit named Darwin, to take us to our destination before turning to his childhood friend.
"She is Neela Briar, my apprentice." He told him. I pulled back my hood and smiled at him. His eyes seemed to widen at the sight of my face for some reason. I stuck out my hand and he shook it, eyes still on my face. Was there something on it I should known about? I checked my appearance in the reflection of my dagger surreptitiously. Everything seemed to be in order. I looked back at the strange looking Native.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kanen'to:ko." I smiled wider, happy to be acquainted with someone from Connor's past. I had always gotten the feeling that I shouldn't ask about Connor's childhood, something about his demeanor whenever the subject came up put me off, so I didn't know much. And now I had a part of it sitting in front of me. This was a rare chance to learn something new about my mentor.
I carefully looked over the stranger. He wore brightly colored warriors clothing, with many beautiful bead works and feathers adorning it. His hair was arranged strangely, with two thick braids falling from the sides of his head, the hair on top cut short so it stood on end. His face had the same weathered appearance as Connor's, his skin maybe a few shades darker. Now that I had a proper source for comparison, I could now distinctly distinguish the British side of Connor's heritage. From the clothing to the lines of his face, it was clear that along with Native, he also had English blood.
"You are very beautiful." Kanen'to:ko said, pulling me from my daydream, still holding my hand. I blushed at the compliment and looked away. No one had ever told me that so bluntly. I had been told many times that I had a handsome face, but only in the context of common courtesy.
"Thank you. I am unaccustomed to such flattery." I smiled shyly as I slipped unintentionally into my Irish accent. He smiled back. Connor cleared his throat abruptly and I looked to him, blushing when I realized that my hand was still enclosed in the other man's. I pulled it away, quickly. Connor looked strangely irritated.
"Neela has been training under me for the past six months. She has just completed her training today." He finished. I smiled proudly, the sense of accomplishment still new in my mind, before remembering something.
"Oh right!" I exclaimed, pulling out the extra vials of poison from my pack and putting on my leather gloves for safety purposes. My needles were in need of a fresh coat of poison. I removed the long 4 inch needles from their slots on my armband.
"You might want to move back." I told Kanen'to:ko, who was looking over my shoulder curiously. He leaned back, but still had a curious look on his face. It was not wise to be working with poison while an onlooker did not know of it's danger. I held the vial carefully away from any exposed skin.
"What is that?" He asked. I carefully uncorked the vial filled with the greenish-yellow liquid, careful not to spill a single drop.
"Lethal poison." I stated calmly. Kanen'to:ko leaned back sharply, as was expected. Many had similar reactions. "You may switch seats with Connor if the proximity makes you uncomfortable. It is quite deadly." I told him courteously. I always informed others of the consequences of being too close to the poison. Even though I was relatively immune and therefore comfortable working with the poison, it did not mean that others were too. He looked on cautiously before nodding reluctantly. He and Connor switched seats in the carriage, Connor plopping down casually beside me, already used to this routine. Truthfully, I should have done this earlier, but what with the initiation into the Brotherhood and the acquisition of my new robes, I had forgotten.
I retrieved my first needle, dipping one end into the poison, then the other, making sure that it did not drip anywhere. I replaced the needle into its slot on my arm band.
This process repeated itself ten times until I was done with them all. I put the cork back in the bottle before wrapping it up in a handkerchief and placing it in my pack. I took off my safety gloves and put those in my pack too.
"That was most impressive. Where did you get such poison?" Kanen'to:ko inquired. I smiled, proud to show off my handiwork. I had slaved long and hard over it, after all.
"Thank you, and I made it myself." I stated with a grin. The carriage came to a sudden stop.
"We are here." Connor said. The smile slipped from my face as I prepared myself mentally for battle. The three of us got out of the carriage, telling Darwin to drive around for awhile before heading back to the house. We had stopped at the drop off of a cliff, deeper into the forest than I had ever gone. I took a deep breath of the clean air, excited for my first mission as an official Assassin. We walked to the edge of a cliff where Kanen'to:ko pointed to a white house on the other side of a gorge.
"Johnson Hall is just across this river, the water is well guarded." He said. I could just make out a patch of white paneling in the distance behind a gathering of trees. Connor put a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Wait here for us here." Kanen'to:ko nodded and stepped back. I made my way to Connor's side, looking out over the open expanse to the house. There was no visible way to climb down the side of the cliff, and even from here I could see that the ground below was infested with bears. Through the trees then.
"Be prepared. There may be obstacles to encounter that we do not see." Connor told me, the last piece of advice he would give as my mentor. I smiled and flipped my white hood over my face, silently giving my answer. He nodded and stepped back.
"Ladies first, partner." I said confidently, smirking as I gave him his new title. His mouth twitched at the comment. I stepped back, judging the distance, and readied myself. My smirk grew into an eager smile as my heart pounded in excitement. I took a deep breath.
And with that I leapt into the open air.
Neela is finally part of the brotherhood and has received her first mission. We're getting into the events of the game now, so you will see more characters you know from now on. Please continue to review for me, without that, I won't have the motivation to continue writing. So please leave some comments! I'm begging you!
