XXVIII.
A Bitter Divide

Mary had to jump a few ships to get to Tulum. The journey that shouldn't have taken all that long, but it nearly took a two weeks. The waters were against her half the journey and then she had to stop in a small fishing village and then Kingston to finally get anywhere near Tulum. She was given a rowboat to get there finally, and that was fine for her. Rowing in the hot sun exhausted her quickly. She was still a ways from the shore and while she felt like taking a rest, with the waves, she really couldn't. So she kept rowing, she kept going though. She had no choice. She kept glancing over her shoulder though, reassuring herself that the shore was indeed getting closer.

Finally! After what seemed like forever, she made her way onto shore, dragging the boat onto the sands and stumbling away from it. She had been feeling sick for a few days now. Maybe she was just tired, maybe it was just the condition on the ships she had been on the past few days. She had no idea. She just knew that she just wanted to lay down for a little while.

Suddenly, just like that, her stomach turned and she had enough time to turn to throw up in a bush. She was still coughing when she heard someone approaching her. A hand was placed on her back and she glanced up to see Javi.

"Mary…are you unwell?" He helped her straighten when she didn't answer. "Come, we'll go see a healer" He put an arm around her waist and pulled one of her arms around his shoulders.

"No…I have to see Ah Tabai" She tried to pull away from him.

"Mary, you aren't well" His voice was calm but soft and strong.

"I need to see Ah Tabai" She insisted. If he was going to try and help her, he needed to let her decide what was best for her. The world spun though and even as she tried to walk forward she felt herself stumble and nearly fall. Javi hurried to keep up with her, keep her standing.

"Mary, you need to rest" His voice was annoying in her ear. Like a bug that was buzzing too close, she tried to move her arm away from his shoulders but he just held onto her tighter. She struggled to get him to let go of her. "Mary! Stop!"

"Let me…go…" She nearly fell to her knees but he caught her.

"Damn…" She heard his voice. He was shouting. "Someone…Mary…" His words faded in and out, the world condensing and then finally Mary completely blacked out.

Forced bed rest! What the hell kind of thing was that to do to her?

It had been two days since she collapsed and she had been ordered to rest a day or two, to recover. It had been two days. Could she get up now? Ah Tabai had been to visit her, but only to remind her to rest and relax. Being in bed all day was boring though and she had gotten up yesterday briefly to stretch and do some minor exercises in her room. She knew that he and the healer would disapprove of this, but she couldn't just sit around and do nothing. It would drive her insane.

Worse, it would drive her to think of Edward. That was much more painful than thinking of other things. She already missed him painfully. Just newly aware of her feelings, it seemed that he was almost a drug for her. She wanted to see him again. Soon. She had no idea how long he'd be off traveling around with Roberts though. Perhaps she should return to his cove and just…wait for him there. She doubted any of the Assassins would see that as okay though. They still didn't understand why she spoke to Edward, why she interacted with him. If only they knew…

But that thought brought up another thought. Why was she feeling so ill? It had come into her mind, a passing thought, kind of a…idea. She didn't like it and in fact she feared that it might be true. She feared if it were true.

Still, she had waited out her two days and she got up, her legs feeling a little weak. She was glad she stretched the day before. She stretched once more and got ready before finding her way to the courtyard where Ah Tabai was over seeing some training. She waited in the shade for him, knowing he might scold her if he saw she was out of bed without the express permission of the healer. Besides, what she wanted to talk to him about, she did not want to be overheard.

She watched as the two female assassins trained. She knew them both. One was well on her way to becoming a Master Assassin. It was a rank given to those few who could prove themselves worthy of it. Mary herself was one, but it was a title that had taken her years to earn. She had worked very hard for it and proved herself worthy of it several times before having it bestowed upon her. Sometimes it was easy to forget how hard she had worked within this group since joining it. It was…amazing sometimes. Sometimes it didn't feel real – just as her life before barely felt real.

The spar ended when she was lost in her thoughts and Ah Tabai spoke with both women for a time and she waited then as well. She watched as he turned to walk away and he stopped, as he spotted her in the shade. He frowned and walked over to her. She bowed her head slightly, and respectfully, as he got closer.

"Mentor"

"Mary you are to be resting" He told her, a stern tone to his voice.

"I couldn't stand to be laying around anymore. I was about to lose my mind" She crossed her arms and Ah Tabai let out a small laugh.

"Alright. Fine. I understand that you had something to discuss with me?" She nodded. "Let us walk"

They walked and she talked of what she overheard Ben and Rodgers talking about in Kingston as well as her own ideas to it. She told him of the list, the blood needed and how she thought the two were connected. Ah Tabai let her talk, silently listening and nodding from time to time. That was what she appreciated about him – he was able to just listen to her. He didn't need to talk over her or interrupt her. He let her get all thoughts out.

"I think you are right Mary. And if you are, we have indeed wounded them greatly." They were on the beach, looking out towards the water. She nodded, agreeing with him. They were silent a spell and she ended up sitting on a rock, feeling a wave of exhaustion spill over her. "Are you well Mary?"

"Just…tired I think" She didn't want to say it. She had felt somewhat like this once before, many years ago. Was it over ten years ago now? When had she gotten so old? She supposed she wasn't old, not yet, but she was older. That didn't mean she was any wiser, especially if she was making the same mistakes.

"Mary…when you were in Kingston, you were not alone" That wasn't a question. She sighed.

"No, I was with Edward"

"Again" His voice was disapproving. "Is your sickness linked?"

She felt her face flush, realizing what he was implying. Of course, that was what she was thinking too, still having someone say that out loud, so casually…It bothered her a little. Besides that, what she did with her time was no one business but her own. If she had taken a lover, that was no one's business but her's. Though, she could understand how Ah Tabai could be worried. Edward wasn't trusted, not by the Assassins.

"Mary…are you seeing Edward Kenway?" He said it in a fashion that gave away no judgment. She didn't speak for a long moment. It seemed to be an answer to him because he sighed.

"He's not a bad man" There she went, defending him again. Why she kept defending that fool, she'd never understand. Ah Tabai clearly didn't understand either because he shook his head at her.

"And if you are with child?"

"That will be my problem." She kept her tone blank at this, her face blank too though the idea scared the shit out of her. "I'm fairly sure I'm not though. Last time…it was much different than this" Yes, now that she reminded herself, it was much different. For one she never fainted. She had felt faint, but she had never fainted outright. She had also been tired, but not to this point. To be truthful, she had probably just caught some sort of sickness from the ships she had been on. That was what she was hoping at least. Perhaps something from the grub they had been serving. It had been disgusting.

"You should return to your room and rest Mary. Time will tell"

She agreed, if only because she didn't want to be having this conversation anymore. She just wanted to lay down and pretend it never happened.

Three days later and Mary felt much better. After some rest, some real food and a little exercise every day, she was better. That proved it, it was just sickness. Nothing more to worry about. Still, there was a large rift, she felt, between her and the other Assassins. Though she knew Ah Tabai had not told them of her relations with Edward, she just felt as if they could somehow sense it on her. As if they knew without her telling them a lick of the story.

She felt it unfair; she couldn't help her feelings any more than they could.

So she spent her days researching the remaining Templars on her list and figuring out what to do with them. She found some of them had moved locations since she had last worked on the list and they would have to be tracked down again. She spent most days alone at this point. She didn't enjoy it, but it was how she preferred it at this point. The looks she got said there were rumors about her floating in the village Probably rumors about her relationship with Edward. She hated that. She hated how they still spoke lowly of Edward. That wasn't fair either, they didn't know him like she did. They didn't know what a good person he could be.

And she didn't know how she could convince them.

In the end, she didn't know what else to do but after a week on Tulum, she left. She didn't tell anyone but Ah Tabai because there was no one to really tell. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there, it was just that she felt she did not fit in there anymore. She was a different person than she had been last time she had been there. The people there were trapped in their beliefs. Besides that she missed Edward and regretted fighting with him. She didn't expect to see him again though, not when he was so blinded by the Observatory. He was so close, he was so convinced and she knew he was not going anywhere but into a trap.

So she figured she'd return to Nassau and she what sort of life she couldn't carve out there. She would see if she couldn't find semblance in happiness there. She could not return to Edward's old cove. No, that place would not welcome her in the way she hoped for Edward would not be there. The memories of their time together there would just be painful thorns in her side.

So she sailed for Nassau hoping life might have some pity on her heart for once and that she might find the peace she was beginning to desire among the ruins and rumble of Nassau.

A/N: Am I spoiling you guys again? Anyway, I'd prepare for the shift, dear readers. Things are going to get ugly soon but don't worry I have a few surprises left for you. Thank you guys for reading again, you're awesome! I look forward to your reviews.