Letters Home: This Lonely Isolation

by: Shadow Chaser

Summary:

Connor is curious about the man who is General George Washington's Head of Intelligence and so goes in search for him at Valley Forge. What he finds instead, is a General who sent his favorite officer away to protect him, if only for a little while.

Author's Notes:

Sequence 9, Mission 1 extended conversation. Post-Episode 8 Providence. Also, first story in series to be from a POV other than Ben's! Mentions of Washington's half-brother Lawrence and his connections to the Templars are based off of AC Rogue.

Story:

The supplies had been secured and Connor had hailed a small scouting patrol he found nearby. They were to keep an eye on the storehouse where Benjamin Church's men had taken the supplies to as he returned to Valley Forge to let General Washington know of the good news. As he trotted back to camp on his horse, he considered Haytham's proposal to meet in New York to hunt down Church, the offer of his father's – and by extension, the Templars' – resources. Perhaps it was the fruit of temptation Father Timothy had been preaching last week at his church. Connor was not a believer, but he did occasionally listen in from the door to the church to the Father's sermons – finding his own words of wisdom in the Bible the others of the Homestead held so dear.

He could already hear Achilles' phantom voice in his head chastising him for even considering joining forces with Haytham, but he was also willing to listen to reason – if not a temporary truce. In a way, if Haytham was willing to help him kill Church, then he did not see it as a problem in his eventual quest to hunt down Charles Lee. In fact, if it deprived the British of a resource, and also the Templars while helping the Patriots – by extension, Washington - then it would only serve to tighten the noose on Lee's neck.

Of course, he also knew that he could not outright say something like that to General Washington without condemning himself and therefore letting Lee escape his clutches. Plus, he was rather curious about how easily Washington had entrusted him with this simple task when he had only first met the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during his botched execution.

He suppose that Washington's man, Benjamin Tallmadge, must have spoken to his leader in the interim. Oddly enough, he had not seen Tallmadge when he had first arrived and wondered if the other man was out gathering intelligence or perhaps even on a patrol.

Connor had only learned recently that Achilles, his fellow Assassin recruits, and General Putnam had been summoned to Bridewell Prison by Tallmadge's letters to them. He had hoped to convey his thanks and appreciation for what the other man had done to help him escape. Connor hoped that when he returned, Tallmadge would be there – otherwise he would inquire as to his whereabouts.

"Hail and ho there!" one of the guards greeted him as he crested a small ridge, his horse whickering with some displeasure at the muddy slushy snow that melted a little during the bright daylight sun. It would freeze later tonight, he could already feel the lowering chill of the waning afternoon light.

"Hello to you too," he greeted the guard who nodded and waved him through, recognizing him from when he had left early in the morning after a night's rest at the camp. He directed his horse through the encampment, arriving at the farmhouse that served as both Washington's general quarters and command post. As he crested another small hill, he saw that several tents were set up in the back of the farmhouse and inwardly smiled. The sudden slam of a door from the farmhouse made him look to see one of Washington's aide-de-camps rush out with a handful of papers; more than likely delivering messages to the Marquis de Lafayette who was drilling the soldiers. Connor dismounted and tied his horse up to the post before rounding the outside of the building and headed back towards the large tent that had been pitched next to several smaller ones.

It seemed Washington had taken his own words to heart and decided to set up his post outside to ensure that the men understood he too would suffer the cold with them. The sight of such devotion to his soldiers made him question the validity of Haytham's words about the man's competency in leading the Continentals, but he pushed the thought to the side. He would contemplate Haytham and his proposal later.

Walking towards the tents, he saw the General's Lifeguards go on alert, staring at him with narrowed-eyed gazes. He returned their stares with an open one before stopping by the flap. "I have news for the General," Connor said quietly and the two guards silently answered their negative by pointedly staring at the sheer amount of open weaponry he had on him.

Washington had been walking amongst his men earlier when Connor had happen to run into him by chance and received his request to find the missing supplies. His Lifeguards had dutifully hung back as he had conversed with the Commander-in-Chief, but even then, he had felt the heat of their suspicious gaze. He considered just leaving a message right then and there and to instead, find Benjamin Tallmadge when the tent flap flipped open and Washington's manservant, Billy Lee stepped out.

"The General is waiting for him," he addressed the two Lifeguards who reluctantly nodded and finally stepped to the side, allowing him to enter.

"We received word that one of our patrols found something by a storehouse near the Schuylkill River," the dark-skinned manservant said and Connor inclined his head once.

"I had asked that they keep an eye on the missing supplies," he replied before nodding to Washington who was peering over several maps spread out on another table. Red and blue tokens littered the maps, denoting army strength and placement of troops. The tent itself smelled a little like wet oilskin, but it was far warmer in the tent than outside. "General."

"Thank you," Washington did not look up, "I will send a messenger out tonight with orders for the patrol to stay where they are tonight and will send more men tomorrow to pick up our missing supplies." The General flicked a quick look at him and a small pleased smile appeared on his face, "Your help was greatly appreciated, Connor."

"The threat to your life has not abated, General," Connor said bluntly and saw Washington stare at him with a look he could not quite comprehend. "Thomas Hickey was part of a far larger plot that threatens this war."

"I know of spies within my camp-"

"Not British spies. They are a part of a growing conspiracy that is beyond the British."

Washington only stared at him with the same unreadable expression, before setting down a small token he had been holding, "Your ancient enemy, the Templars."

Connor stared, surprised at what he heard. "Your man, Tallmadge told you of them."

However, instead of a confirming nod, or even acknowledgment of such information, Washington frowned, "Major Tallmadge has not disclose any such information to me, nor have I known of any connection the Major has with the Templar Order or Assassin Brotherhood."

Connor immediately realized he had misspoke and had also inadvertently revealed something about Tallmadge that he had a feeling he should not have. But surely Washington had known of Tallmadge's connections and familial history? Was that not why he had him appointed as his Head of Intelligence?

"In fact, Major Tallmadge is currently headed to Boston to oversee the troop status before he is to return here. He is no longer my Head of Intelligence due to his failure in controlling certain elements he should have controlled in the first place," the General said pointedly and heatedly.

But there was something there that Connor could not quite catch, as if it was the barest wisp of a lie. He flickered his gaze into his Eagle Sense, and definitely saw the sliver of something that rang false in Washington's words. Washington himself was a golden hue, which meant that he had information, but suddenly flickered into pale blues of an ally which meant that he was not going to reveal anymore than what he had said. Connor pulled out of his Eagle Sense and tilted his head in acknowledgment.

"I am sorry then, for my words," he apologized, "but I must know, how did you come by such information."

The man gave him a very long assessing look before answering, his words most definitely chosen carefully. "My older brother Lawrence had dealings with the Templars and Assassins before he died. He kept me out of most of it, but I have ears and a sense of the politics behind each force of power," the older man gave him a small mysterious smile, "I was also introduced to a one Nathaniel Sackett who eventually told me of his ties to your Brotherhood. Perhaps it had been he who had told the Major about the Assassin Brotherhood and the Templars before he had passed."

Connor did not answer and hoped that his growing surprise did not show on his expression. He did not know who this Nathaniel Sackett was; even Achilles never mentioned him, but it seemed like the man was a part of the Assassin Brotherhood. He had thought that all of the Assassins had been wiped out by the traitor who had purged them during the French and Indian War years before. Though he supposed members like Tallmadge's father had survived, so what was it not to say that Sackett was part of the Brotherhood, except had hidden from those who wanted to kill him.

"Mr. Sackett asked for my protection and was willing to trade his knowledge and expertise on the subjects of espionage and intelligence gathering methods employed by the Brotherhood," Washington continued before his lips twitched into a melancholic frown, "alas, I was not able to prevent a simple British assassin from killing him in the end."

"I am sorry to hear that," Connor offered and Washington nodded gratefully before walking over to his desk and pulled open a drawer. He rummaged around it for a few seconds before pulling out a familiar-looking vambrace with the hidden blade nestled around it.

"I believe this should go back to the Brotherhood," the General offered and Connor took it, the design similar to one of his own, except the leather vambrace was far more worn than his own. "Mr. Sackett had given it to me saying that I needed to protect myself and that in the persona he was to present to the rest of my camp that a doddering old fool would not even be looked at twice for being the spymaster of the Continentals. He said that I would be a greater target, but I regret to say that I do not even have the training to wield such a weapon like this."

Connor had to agree with Washington's assessment. Even if he had the training, he knew that if the man were to ever show himself with such a weapon, even concealed underneath his uniform, it would paint a rather large target on his back. It would give even more incentive to Charles Lee and the Templars that were within the Continentals an excuse to kill him just for their Templar ideals. Essentially, it would have signaled to them that Washington was an Assassin, even if he was never formally inducted into the Brotherhood. It also would endanger the officers and men who served in Washington's army. They were innocent from the hidden war behind the fight for independence and people like Tallmadge did not deserve the scrutiny of being thrown blindly into such an ancient and long conflict.

He glanced up at Washington and saw the calculating shrewdness in the man's eyes. He suspected that the General also knew it as well, which was why he was returning Sackett's blade. Connor's opinion of him soured somewhat, the calculating persuasiveness reminding him greatly of Samuel Adams' flippancy in manipulating the crowd with some truth-bending ways. He had been hoping the General was open and honest, but at the same time did not deny the fact that Washington did really care for the men under his command.

A thought occurred to him. He could see genuine truth in the man's words, even if they were shaded with other layers of concealed truth. The man cared deeply...and deeply enough that he had caught the terrified fear in Washington's eyes as Thomas Hickey had pointed his pistols at him and Tallmadge at Bridewell before he sunk his blade into the other man. And it was not fear for his own life that he had seen. No, Connor had seen that fear directed at Tallmadge, already wounded from the graze a bullet he more than likely did not feel because of the heady rush of battle; wounded by protecting his General.

Though any other man in their capacity as Head of Intelligence would have investigated any attempt on the Commander-in-Chief's life, Connor knew as much that not many would have taken the words of an Assassin or known of the Brotherhood to do it in that manner. Tallmadge had personally come to deliver Putnam's pistols to him at the Homestead, had accompanied him to the edges of New York, had even sent letters to Achilles and Putnam to help rescue him – all to ensure that the threat to his General was neutralized. And he knew that because while he could have said it was simply because Tallmadge requested his services, it was more because it was for his General.

That was devotion. That was beyond the simple devotion of a soldier to the Commander-in-Chief of an army.

And Connor realized what was shadowed behind the flickering golden-yellow of information he had gotten from his Eagle Sense when he used it to discern Washington's intentions. Washington was protecting Tallmadge – whether it was from the looming threat of Charles Lee or even the Assassins and Templars – he was protecting him by sending him briefly away, if only for a short time.

"Isolating him from such information is dangerous," Connor changed tactics and saw the bloom of surprise briefly fill the General's face before he managed to resume a more neutral expression.

"As I had said, he is not my Head of Intelligence anymore," the other man countered, his eyes flashing angrily. And there was the lie, bold as the truth if Connor had ever seen one. The message was also clearly conveyed – do not involve the Major in any of these affairs anymore.

"Then it is the loss of a valuable ally," he replied before nodding curtly and spun on his heel, leaving quickly. He saw Billy Lee step to the side to get out of his way before he pushed the tent flap open and marched out. If Washington wanted to be stubborn, then he would let him. The man had shown that he was willing to confront his own problems with Lee head on and Connor knew that the opportunity would present itself in order to let him strike his own blow against Lee soon enough.

On the subject of Major Benjamin Tallmadge, Connor also knew that he would not follow Washington's orders. The man held no allegiance to him, nor did he in return. But he also knew that for the amount of devotion each man had shown the other, if he did not keep Tallmadge appraised of the situation with Charles Lee, then Tallmadge might one day find himself in the same tragic situation Connor had found his mother in. And it would once again, be Charles Lee's fault. Neither Washington nor Tallmadge were related, but Connor could already see the bonds of friendship and devotion that drew and push each other away – it was, after all like the one he had with Achilles.

And after what had happened earlier, Connor much considered Achilles his father more than his sire, Haytham Kenway.

~END~