Letters Home: (Gunpowder) Monmouth

by: Shadow Chaser

Summary:

Season 2, Episode 10 "Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot" and Sequence 10, Mission 3 "Monmouth" alternate scene. Ben is forced to chose his allegiance between the Brotherhood and Washington. Alliances are made to be broken.

Story:

The lines were holding well into the afternoon as Ben and Caleb galloped up to the ridge where Washington was directing the main cannon defensive line. He had sent the rest of the 2nd Light to await him near General Greene's lines while he reported to General Washington for more orders. General Wayne and Scott had him reform the 2nd Light to round up the stragglers earlier after their successful ambush of both British calvary and infantry lines in the woods. Afterwards, Scott had sent him to Washington for more orders and to tell the Commander-in-Chief the good news. That was where Ben found himself now with Caleb at his shoulder.

"Ben, we should let Washington know-"

"Not now," Ben shook head, "it's a risk, I know, but we can't distract him, not until the British are routed."

The letter Caleb had given to him containing the fact that there was a plot against Washington sat like a lead weight on him. He wanted to read it, but there were skirmishes still going about and Ben needed his wits about him. He had a feeling that once he finished reporting to Washington, Greene would want to 2nd Light to force a charge against Cornwallis' lines to make him retreat.

He glanced behind him to see Caleb with a flat look on his face, but accepted it as they rounded the ridge. Ben grimaced at the sudden blast of cannons going off one by one, but before he could speak, he heard the sound of hooves beating against the ground and turned to see the Marquis de Lafayette rushing up the ridge.

"Marquis!" Ben called out and the Frenchman waved as he skidded to a stop.

"Sir!" the Marquis sounded out of breath as he turned to address Washington, "I had to order a retreat of the secondary cannon lines. The British are pressing against the lines and my men cannot hold them." Just then, several loud explosions filled the air from the hill to the right they were on.

Ben watched, horrified as bodies of red were tossed into the air along with the metal shrapnel of cannons. At the the same time, he caught the peek of numerous redcoats advancing around the slope of the smaller hill. He wheeled his horse and got ready to charge downwards in an effort to try to save the Patriots who were escaping from the sudden advancement of British troops. He could see some reforming their lines on the hill Washington occupied as the redcoats started to open fire. But even before he got two steps down, Ben saw a flash of a familiar hooded figure dressed in white and blue take down the back of the redcoat line.

"Connor!" he heard the Marquis called out behind him.

"So that's Connor," Caleb said next to him, pulling on his horse's reigns.

"Aye, and we're going to help him-"

"Uh, I don't think he needs your help Benny-boy," Caleb said almost at the same time. Whatever proclamation that they were going to help died on his lips at sight of Connor furiously cutting through the advancing British lines. It looked like a mad slaughter, but Connor's actions gave the Patriots more time to get to safety and reform their lines. Ben spurred his horse forward to meet the incoming men as they regrouped.

"Make ready!" he called out, raising his already bloodied sabre high up and saw the men glance at him before following his commands.

"Ben-" Caleb's call down a different forming firing line was filled with cautious hesitance; and while Ben knew that his best friend thought he was going to hit Connor with the firing line, he also knew the way the Assassin worked. He had seen him fight on several occasions now and knew Connor would anticipate what he was doing – at least that was the hope. There was always a chance, but Ben pushed all doubt from his mind.

"Aim," he could see Connor's tomahawk flashing through the jaw of one redcoat and thought he caught the quick look the other man shot at him before he suddenly twisted and pulled a redcoat to shield his own body. "Fire!" Ben called out at the same time and the rifles discharged, hitting the rest of the redcoats who had been scattered by Connor's initial attack.

Screams filled the air as the platoon was completely cut down and Ben glanced down the line to see the Marquis also doing the same with another reformed line as did Caleb. The three platoons that had tried to take Washington's hill had been completely routed as the rest who had tried to advance turned their backs and marched away. Ben smiled at the sight as the men cheered around him. He saw Connor drop the body of the soldier he had used as cover from the returning fire. He started to smile in greeting before he realized that something was wrong. Connor was moving with the same predatory stalk that he had the dubious honor of seeing just a few weeks ago when he and his men had been attacked at their small camp by the Assassin.

Ben quickly dismounted and approached the Assassin with a hand held out, "Connor-"

"Get out of my way, Tallmadge," Connor's voice was cold and hard and his normally expressive eyes were flinty with anger.

"Connor-" Ben found himself roughly shoved to the side before he could say anything else and stumbled on the uneven ground. "Connor!" he called out as he regained his footing. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Marquis and Caleb both dismounting, having seen what had happened and were hurrying over.

"Where is General Lee?!" Connor demanded loudly as he approached Washington.

To Ben's relief, he saw the Lifeguard go instantly on alert, pushing Washington back as his General stared at the approaching Assassin with an unreadable look on his face.

"If you had heeded my warnings, then none of this would have happened!" Connor shouted as Ben sheathed his sword and approached the volatile Assassin. He needed to defuse this before the Lifeguard shot Connor. He also needed to calm the Assassin down before anything else happened. "Lee betrayed you! He was planning your downfall and yet you spare him?! Where is Lee?!"

"Connor-" Ben reached out with his hand and just as he clasped the other man's shoulder, every instinct screamed in warning. It was as if time had suddenly slowed down as he used his instincts and reacted at the same time Connor spun and struck with the quickness of a viper. He saw the silvery glint of Connor's hidden blade coming towards him and spun up the hillside they were on. Twisting around Connor's shoulder, heedless of the gaping concern of the others around the two of them, he drew out his pistol and pulled back on the flintlock just as the other man stumbled on the uneven ground. Time seemingly sped up again and Ben found himself with the advantage as he pointed the gun directly at Connor's head, their positions on the hill reversed from what was just mere seconds ago.

"Connor," Ben could not believe that it had happened in less than a blink of an eye, but he found his voice and breath steady, "Stop. Please. Don't force me to fire this."

There was a cornered look in Connor's eyes that Ben never knew were an golden-brown. This close, he could clearly see the features that made Connor a native as well as the features that were not so wholly native. He could see the tension of muscles, the look of a predator that was turned into prey, but at the same time, could see the anger and frustration on Connor's surprisingly youthful features. At the same time, Ben caught the glint of something under that golden-brown gaze...as if it was respect.

He realized with a start that Connor wanted to continue to question Washington, but clearly had respected the reversal of attacker and defender that had just happened. He also realized that it was not every day that one caught someone like Connor completely off guard...and if he was Achilles' student, it meant that he had extensive training – far more than he had from time-to-time with his father growing up. Connor was a seasoned hunter and Assassin who had the tables turned on him by someone who was as untrained as he was.

And Ben was suddenly terrified.

He refused to let it show, but he was terrified not of himself or his current position, but for what it meant to others to see Connor like this. As much as he did not support the Assassin Brotherhood or wanted any affiliation with them, he could not deny that they and the Templars, were a driving force behind this war. And it had to stop. But neither could he let Connor be seen by the Templars like this; not with his own ties to the Brotherhood. They needed to be strong...but they also needed to take their war elsewhere. Ben realized that this secret war had embroiled so many people that it need not to anymore.

The hidden blade sudden retracted with a quiet snikt and Ben pulled back, relieved to find that the Assassin was still willing to listen to reason. He lowered his pistol, but did not loosen the hammer in case it was all an act. He had learned too many hard lessons to know that the hearts of men in this war were deceptive and cruel. Though it hurt to think of Connor as one of the deceptive people he knew, he also knew him well enough as both an Assassin and as a person that anything less would have been considered both idiotic and insulting.

It seemed Connor thought the same as he saw the corner of his lips twitch up in a mirthless smile, "This is the second time I spare your life. It will be the last." His gaze slid past him and he gave a mocking bow towards Washington. "Enjoy your victory, Commander, for it is the last I will give you," the native said in a cold tone before walking away.

It was only then that Ben half-cocked his flintlock as he saw the Marquis rush down the hill past him and approach Connor, talking in low hush tones. He pursed his lips and shook his head.

"So, that's Connor, yeah?" Caleb asked as he glanced up to see him ambling down the hill, absently swinging what looked like one of Sackett's unusual looking pistols in his hand. He fiddled with the spring catch, letting the small bayonet shoot forth before retracting it by pushing it gingerly back with his hand. "Seems a bit...touchy..."

"He's a good man," Ben absently said as he watched the Marquis and Connor continue talking, the Marquis apparently gesticulating for Connor to stay while the Assassin continued to walk.

"You wanna tell me about it?" Caleb asked and Ben heard the edge of a challenge in his voice.

"After we're sure the British are retreating and the battle won," he replied as he turned away from Connor and the Marquis and headed back to his horse. Mounting it, he saw Caleb do the same with his. He turned his head to tip his helm at Washington who returned the gesture with one of his own as his Lifeguards resumed their watch around him. Together, he and Caleb headed back to where the rest of the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons were with General Greene. He could not pay Connor anymore attention nor consider the Assassins as his allies. Not after the ambush, and certainly not after what had just happened. Connor had forced him to choose between the Assassins and Washington and he had chosen his side.

He could only hope it was a choice that did not end up with a blade in his heart courtesy of a native Assassin he once would have liked to have called a fellow ally.

~END~