Music Inspiration: Two Steps From Hell- Earthgirl

C is for Connor

10 September 1770

Ratonhnhaké:ton strolled down the trail during the late morning as he checked the trails around Davenport homestead to make sure the inhabitants were safe. This was his day without training and he wanted to spend it in the tranquility of the open land where he could run free without a care. His training was well underway but Achilles had stated it would be years before he learned all that he needed to in order to eliminate the Templar threat. Ratonhnhaké:ton had patience instilled since his culture highly valued the trait but there had been brief moments when he wished he could grasp a concept faster. Achilles often warned him that he had a flicker of impatience and naivety but the old man believed in him, encouraging young Ratonhnhaké:ton's spirits.

He'd yet to leave Davenport homestead but Achilles informed he'd accompany convoys from residents and their own wagon towards trade towns to ensure their arrival. With the troubling times brewing, bandits increased on the roads (especially dense forest trails) and Achilles wanted to be sure nothing was lost. It would help Ratonhnhaké:ton to practice his growing skills and gain insight when facing an enemy that had no intention but causing harm to him or others.

As he headed south over the wooden bridge that linked the Burnetts land to the trail leading to the manor, Ratonhnhaké:ton heard young jovial voices. No doubt the Burnett children were performing chores or enjoying themselves in the open terrain. He'd never been one to approach a conversation unless he was invited and with white settlers, he was still testing the unknown waters. The Burnetts, Galloways, and Mr. O'Donnell never hesitated to include him for friendly socialization but he often felt like an adult in a child's shoes. The children of the homestead offered him a chance to bask in his young age and experience what he should be experiencing if he wasn't training to eliminate an evil threat.

The children were reciting short words he couldn't understand and as he crossed the bridge, noticed all were outside in front of their home. They were sitting down on the grass with thin black rectangular objects in their hands as Caroline and Amelia sat in front of the four children. He couldn't see Mrs. Burnett anywhere as he passed by the wooden picket fence around the properties and Elizabeth waved her hand as she noticed him first. Her copper braids swung in the wind as she ushered him forward with her toothy smile and laughed when her bonnet fell off her head from the repetitive motion. The children's words ended as her action nabbed everyone's attention and Ratonhnhaké:ton stood still as all eyes were on him. He hadn't interrupted anything important, had he?

Caroline smiled amicably as she stopped her siblings' alphabet review since she and Amelia had been left in charge for the moment. Her mother and aunt had gone to fetch the dried clothing from the clothesline behind the house to prevent the sun from fading the colors. She didn't want to intimidate her neighbor in any way since he was cautious in his actions and encouraged his participation, "How are you today, Connor?"

"Well" he replied simply to prevent taking too much of their time but Elizabeth threw aside the strange black object in her hands to lie on the grass. Samuel followed his sister since his attention span was short enough already and would rather imagine reigning in horses over the land with his toys than learn. Ratonhnhaké:ton, however, found himself curious to what the black objects in their hands were and asked politely, "What are you doing?"

"Practicing the alphabet" both Elizabeth and Alice replied in unison but the former frowned as she rolled over onto her belly to relax. Amelia fixed her brown bonnet to avoid the glare from the morning sun and chastised her younger sister since grass stains were impossible to remove. Elizabeth disregarded the complaint because she was free to roll around the earth like a puppy if she wished . . . but she'd rather not risk being spanked by her mother.

"Can Connor take my place?" Elizabeth asked with a miserable groan towards studying because she held no interest for it. If anything, it destroyed her energy to a tiny flame that threated to become extinguished. Her mother continuously stressed they needed to read (at the least) to be women with smart heads on their shoulders rather than lost in the changing world. Elizabeth, in her naïve mind, was certain she had a long time until that point in her life.

"No, mama said you have to study!" Samuel rebutted his older sister with an indignant pout because he wouldn't study unless they all did. Being the youngest, he looked up to his siblings as role models and would follow their examples. Alice held back a laugh as she covered her mouth, her brown eyes filled with mirth as Samuel frowned at their older sister.

"Eliza, you are behind after all of your slacking in the woods" Caroline reminded since she practiced her own writing to improve her penmanship despite her schooling was complete. She'd attended church school, grammar school, and her mother had finished the rest after grammar school stated that only boys would receive further education. If she wanted to continue her studies, it would be in the subject of patchwork but Caroline saw no interest in continuous embroidery. Why would she want to pay for that? If she had a choice and rights, she'd head off to business school in Harvard. She wanted to encourage her younger sisters to be the best they could so nobody undermined them and stated encouragingly, "You'll knock the socks off all the children one day and you're lucky to have mama. Not all parents are literate."

Ratonhnhaké:ton found himself curious to the English writing system since he didn't know how to read or write it. Speaking it fluently took a while to grasp as he aged but part of his education came from his mother due to her previous contact with colonists and the rest continued with Achilles. Nothing helped you learn English faster than being yelled orders and running away from British troops. His mother had trained him whenever she could since the enemy's tongue had to be understood in order to protect their people. It felt odd to walk between two worlds but what could he do? Now that he found himself immersing in their culture, he was thankful for his mother's wisdom because he would've been lost even further.

"Our boban can't read but he's good with money, which is great for business" Amelia stated quietly since literacy was growing in the northern colonies and she didn't want her family to fall behind. Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded once to show he understood and walked into the property past the picket fence to interact with the children. He found it interesting that they divulged information to him without worry as they entrusted him and he would honor that trust.

"What if a business owner tries to cheat him?" he asked softly since a few shopkeepers attempted the same with him due to his physical appearance, even when he'd lied and said he was Spaniard. His clothes had been a dead giveaway to his fib and he'd been chased out for. . .well, he wouldn't repeat the ill words that were yelled at him. Traders on the roads were easier to barter with since they were looking for quick coin as they passed through towns and didn't often care about your race.

"He can read small words but that's why he has mama, they're a team" Alice chirped sweetly and Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to her optimism for the world. The little girl in the blue dress (he never saw her wear anything but blue) reminded him of an innocent baby bird, gentle with a hearty tweet. He'd held the same outlook during his younger years but life had a harsh way of opening your eyes to the true reality. Her small hand pointed to the Galloway household and she informed proudly with a happy smile, "Uncle Terry can, though, so he helps."

"That's how they met, they were going to fight over a cookbook that both Aunt Diana and mama wanted" Martha spoke up for the first time, breaking from her quiet demeanor, since she loved to read romantic tales and heroism as she grew older. Amelia preferred folk stories and academic knowledge while Caroline enjoyed humor and adventure. Martha, however, had a knack for narrating tales with dramatics and began animatedly, "They had both become recent friends but had yet to introduce their husbands, a fact that would soon come to be known. Mama was expectant with Eliza and she wanted the book to try new recipes while Aunt Diana sought it as a gift to her. Either way, it would go to mama and both men met at the general store to realize there was only one copy left. They ended up arguing over why they deserved the book as neither man wanted to be yelled at for losing and neither would admit defeat."

She grinned with amusement as she reached the end of the tale, her fair hands tapping the green calico of her skirt, and chuckled, "In the end, the two scuffled outside like dogs to see who would be the winner of the book. To make the situation worse, mama and Aunt Diana's horror witnessed the fight just as they left the bakery since they'd left the house together without the men to meet up and shop for food. Both men did receive an earful for causing a scene and in the end, mama decided to buy a book of patchwork samples to practice her embroidery."

The children laughed to hearing the familiar tale and Amelia shook her head to laugh softly, "The two ended up sharing an ale as they nursed black eyes while mama and aunt Diana fawned over the new book."

"And now. . ." Alice piped up sweetly with cheer and showed him a picture on her slate with two stick people shaking or holding hands. Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't distinguish it. She wasn't deterred by her hasty scribble as she beamed happily with a toothy smile to point at the two caricatures, "They're like this."

"Would you like to practice your writing? You can use my slate" Caroline smiled amicably as she held out the small board that was now wiped clean of words. She'd grown up accustomed to sharing her belongings with siblings and the young native boy had become an unofficial member. It was joyous for them to have kind neighbors and when they happened to be children near their ages, the Burnett children were joyous. Her smile deflated, however, when he stepped away from them and hesitated to accept her offer. Why would . . .?

"No, I cannot write" he explained simply with a hint of shame leaking into his voice and he found himself uncomfortable with the sympathy in their eyes. Yes, he held a white heritage of sorts that he was slowly stepping into but that didn't mean he wanted to bask in a culture that chewed him up for being physically different. Colonists boasted talk about equality for all but when it came down to it, they wanted things done their way and if your skin or tongue didn't match theirs . . . you were an automatic outsider. His people didn't use a written language as oral traditions were passed down through generations so he was immediately left out of white culture.

"You can learn with me" Alice piped up generously with a smile since she'd grown used to the young boy and no longer shied away from him. Martha was the only one that kept her conversations short with Ratonhnhaké:ton but the other children welcomed him gladly into their home. It often took Alice a little longer to grasp concepts and despite there were times she didn't feel smart, her mother encouraged her to continue. Alice would never be as smart as Amelia but she would try her best to grasp the core subjects, even if she finished at her mother's age. She showed him the other side of her slate where she'd written a few sloppy letters and piped up proudly, "I'm learnin' the alphabet too and Eliza's way behind-"

"She's incredibly lazy- you literally have to poke her with a stick" Caroline reasoned softly about her copper-haired sister since Elizabeth had the ability to learn like anyone else while little Alice took longer. Unfortunately, Elizabeth took her ability for granted but she liked learning alongside Alice so her little sister wouldn't feel alone. Samuel had barely begun his studies so there was nobody that Alice could turn to since her oldest sisters boggled her young mind and Martha didn't have the patience for her. Alice was grateful for Elizabeth and giggled when Elizabeth stuck out her tongue in defiance towards Caroline. The auburn haired teenager bit the inside of her cheek before stating listlessly, "She'll make papa proud as the oldest son with her demeanor."

"Caroline, be kind" Amelia lectured gently since they were taught to maintain respect for their siblings at all times and the older girl nodded with reluctance. Caroline pursed her lips since being lectured by her younger sibling wasn't telling her she was being a good example. There were times she actually wondered if Amelia wasn't the older one since she carried a maturity in her demeanor and was already taller than her. Hmm, no wonder Elizabeth kept following in her defiant steps. Amelia turned to Ratonhnhaké:ton with a kind smile lighting up her blue eyes as she sat beside Caroline and welcomed him, "Connor, we'd be glad to have you join."

"You don't have to interact, just follow directions and show your work" Caroline encouraged since he wasn't one to ramble and gave him her slate before he could decline. He already carried a polite aura about him and she would be more than happy to provide him with items she had to develop his grasp of the English language. Ratonhnhaké:ton studied the thin slate in his hands and hoped this was the only object he'd need to learn since he wasn't comfortable borrowing other people's things. His culture was collectivistic, yes, but colonists sought individualism as they carved their new lives and Ratonhnhaké:ton didn't want to overstep his bounds.

Caroline, however, had no qualms with handing over her slate since she could share with Amelia. Her hands folded neatly over her dark blue skirt and Ratonhnhaké:ton slowly sat down in the circle of children to step into his first lesson in English education. There was nervousness mixed into his wariness as he struggled against embracing the culture of his father because he didn't want to forget his roots. His loose raven hair covered his face and Caroline leaned over to inform helpfully, "I'm not a teacher but mother is certified and will try her best. It will be incredibly helpful for you when traveling in the colonies since many will continue coming to this land. You could teach us your language in return."

Wait, more?, he thought uncomfortably about more colonists landing on the land that had been his and his ancestors for generations. How could they fight against numerous enemies if they held endless transportation? They came in droves like a cloud of locust to claim land that was theirs and demanded tribes to leave as they declared themselves owners of earth with a scrap of paper. Yet, when they fought back to protect land that had been in their tribes for generations, they were declared savages? His people didn't run around claiming land and setting fire to enemies because they couldn't have something that wasn't theirs. Ratonhnhaké:ton could swear white colonists were like tyrannical children with their toys taken away.

"And when you learn that, we can teach you Gaelic" Alice suggested with her soft chirpy voice and Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled modestly for their acceptance. Well, these colonists wouldn't be casting him aside as if he was a speck of dust. He could learn from them to improve himself intellectually just as Achilles was teaching him strength in all aspects. He protect them the same as he would his people, smiling warmly when Alice scribbled one letter of her mother's natural tongue and she added in, "It's our own tongue from back home."

"This is home" Elizabeth reminded her little sister and tickled her side, causing her bare pinkish feet to poke out as she escaped Elizabeth's reach. The small seven year-old leapt from her seat with a billowing blue skirt to run behind Amelia for protection, giggling the entire way.

Samuel decided to join their fun and attacked the mastermind from behind as he left his studies, Elizabeth's laugh echoing over the hill. Amelia was soon overrun by children running circles around her as Alice jumped into her lap while the other two chased each other with glee. Well, so much for a review session.

Martha, being the ever obedient child, set her slate down since she'd continued her mother's lessons until she returned. As she grew older, she didn't see fascination with games since there were other concerns in life like making sure they had food on the table and listening to her parents. She was closest to her mother but stuck close to Amelia since she was the more sensible one, sometimes competing fiercely with Caroline for the sisterly bond. She glared at the others as they disobeyed their mother's task while she was away and reminded stiffly, "Mother said to finish our lesson and here you all are dillydallying-"

"You dilly dally" Alice giggled innocently as the word tickled her tongue and her brown eyes glittered merrily as she clung to Amelia. She rocked the brunette girl as she laughed in Amelia's arms and Caroline playfully pulled at her pink little toes to make her giggles louder.

Elizabeth and Samuel decided to pester Martha for her chiding by running wider circles around the grassy field to echo loudly, "Dilly dally! Dilly dally! Dilly dally!"

"Amelia, make them behave!" Martha ordered swiftly since she favored the peaceful quiet and Ratonhnhaké:ton wondered what he'd suddenly stepped into since he'd never experienced family dynamics. His mother had been his only family member by blood and he never argued with her, always obeying with courteous words. Oh, and a smile when he wanted to go play games with his friends.

He debated whether to excuse himself and visit on another day but Caroline chuckled softly to explain, "They're like this all the time when mother isn't around. With a family as large as ours, it's bound to happen but is resolved rather-"

Amelia whistled loudly to bring complete silence over the field as she reigned in her rambunctious siblings and helped Alice stand up so she could return to her old seat. The little girl quickly scurried to her spot on the grass where her slate lay and grabbed it to pay her sister full attention. Caroline shot Ratonhnhaké:ton a knowing look to emphasize her words since their squabbling didn't last very long with Amelia in charge. If the young ones decided to defy Amelia's words, she'd step in to pacify the quarreling with a firm lecture about respecting family and showing humility. Amelia clapped her hands to usher Elizabeth and Samuel back into their seats, both children frowning the whole way, and announced pleasantly, "Now, let's welcome Connor into today's lesson. Since Alice was so kind to offer help, she can sit next to him as he begins his schooling. Just as mother would say, I want you to maintain respect and treat him kindly-"

"Of course we will- he's Connor!" Samuel exclaimed with assurance since he liked having another boy to talk to after living in a house full of girls. If anything, he was thankful for the opportunity! His lips were set in a pout for even having such an idea surface because his neighbor always listened to his rambles, no matter how trivial.

Caroline turned to Ratonhnhaké:ton as his posture relaxed to this new setting and she smiled confidently, "See? You'll fit right in."

12 October 1770

For the first weeks, Ratonhnhaké:ton was incredibly awkward at being the oldest in class since he sat between Alice and Samuel- the smallest of the children. Once he realized that he wasn't the worst student because Caroline hadn't lied about Elizabeth, his confidence to grasp concepts increased. His people and others of different tribes had been forced to assimilate the white culture as lands were conquered and only religious teachings were allowed. If you were a native and entered service in a household, there was a slight possibility for learning but it was rare. Mrs. Burnett, however, respected his different background and kept any religious writings out of their lessons as she incorporated heartwarming stories. He felt privileged to learn science and arithmetic as well since quite frankly, he would've been chased out of a school under normal circumstances.

At night, he practiced his handwriting since it had taken him time to adjust to using a slate pencil. Both Amelia and Caroline helped him with kind patience when he learned to grasp the strange tool as he learned to write the alphabet. The writing system was strange to him but he followed all of his assignments and lesson recitations about the alphabet. He'd practiced voicing each letter to memorize it in his spare time and his confidence increased when he could pinpoint them in books. Mrs. Burnett encouraged him by saying that the quality of his writing would match his refined words one day. He'd felt overwhelmed with arithmetic during the first week as the numbers baffled him but Achilles' help with money came incredibly handy when Catherine decided to use objects for concepts. Who would've thought adding three apples to two would give him the written form of the number 5? Ratonhnhaké:ton would never be a learner by seeing words scribbled on a slate; he was a visual and kinesthetic student by nature.

Mrs. Burnett held their class inside the log cabin for the first two hours to keep them cozy and Ratonhnhaké:ton was an eager beaver every time he walked the trail south to their home. She always handed him a cup of warm milk when he arrived to fight off the cold seeping into his skin and he often brought a hare that he hunted in the morning in thanks for her help. He, Alice, and Samuel were taught first since they were beginners in their learning while Elizabeth and Martha tended to chores with the other two girls. By the late morning, they would join to continue their own lessons while Ratonhnhaké:ton and the younger children would work on assignments to increase their comprehension. Amelia and Caroline would help the three with any questions since Alice struggled with spelling small words and would tear up at failing to grasp what Elizabeth understood clearly. Ratonhnhaké:ton encouraged the small girl when her fingers shook with disappointment and helped her feel better by asking for correction when he pronounced letters. She understood those and he was happy to place a small smile on her crestfallen face.

"Very good, Connor" Catherine complimented as he filled Caroline's slate with writing on one side and arithmetic on the other. He found himself enjoying language rather than mathematics since he was able to put words together with help from books. The manor's library carried novels with sophisticated words that left him confused but when he found one that was simple enough to read, he practiced the entire night after training with Achilles. Catherine smiled proudly as the young boy completed each of her lesson plans, wishing her Elizabeth could be so enthusiastic, and stated amusingly, "You're a fast learner, like Amelia."

"I learned fast too" Caroline pointed out since she loved reading after her chores and had often swept a floor with a book in hand. While her younger siblings and Ratonhnhaké:ton learned, she mended clothes for the family as she sat near the closed doorway. Samuel had ripped his trousers running after a wild hare and she mended the hole at the end of the right leg. After their assignments were done for the first half of their teachings, either she or Amelia would read to them to instill what they learned and sometimes let them read a passage.

"You just liked reading and forgot everything else" her mother clarified as she remembered telling her child not to read into the night for fear of having her strain her eyes. Her daughter had even tried reading off the glow of the fireplace when the younger children had gone to bed during one cold winter and the poor book had caught fire.

Caroline chuckled to her small addiction since she loved collecting books to call her own and wished she could attend school like boys to go to college. It wasn't fair but what could she do? She finished closing the hole in her brother's trousers and cut the black thread between her teeth to end her task, folding them neatly to place on the nearby chair. All of the children were writing on their slates as her mother monitored their progress and Amelia helped Alice as their little sister wrote words about animals.

"Cat, think C for Carrie, A for Alice, and T for Uncle Terry" Amelia encouraged gently to help her memorize the word since familiar sounds would bring the letters to surface. Alice held the pencil close to her chest as she bit her bottom lip in uncertainty, trying to bring forth the earlier exercise. Didn't Amelia know their oldest sister's name was quite long? Amelia saw the discomfort in her eyes and decided to try a different attempt by suggesting tentatively, "Remember when we wrote our names? Could you write yours for me?"

Alice remembered her pride the first time she managed to do so and practiced for hours to make sure she wouldn't forget. Slowly, she wrote each letter as she remembered visual pictures to determine the order of her name. Amelia stroked the back of her head, running her fingers down her braided brown hair to whisper faintly, "You'll get it, Alice. I know you will."

Ratonhnhaké:ton glanced at his own slate and decided not to ask for aid unless he absolutely needed it since sitting beside Alice and receiving praise from her mother would not help the small girl's confidence. He turned to see Samuel drawing pictures alongside his letters and numbers, bringing a faint smile to Ratonhnhaké:ton's lips. Caroline passed by her sisters, ruffling Samuel's hair along the way as she caught his little caricatures, and swept her brown skirt to the side to sit down on the floor. In her hands was a thin book with a blue cover and she moved it towards him for a better view as she spoke softly, "I found this book for beginner's reading and arithmetic that the children weren't using. Since you're very dedicated to these lessons, I wanted you to use it to increase your skills rather than have it collect dust."

"You've already allowed me to use the slate-" he declined politely since he couldn't be a burden to the Burnetts by having everything provided for him.

"I'm not taking no for an answer and it's better than leaving it as a dust collector" she intervened with an amused smile since she'd barter until he accepted. He objected every time she provided something but after her second attempt, his polite defense weakened considerably. He was humble to such a point that it surprised her but it was a trait she admired every time they interacted.

She dangled the book in front of his sun kissed face with two fingers and squeaked humorously with a grin, "Take me, I will fill your mind with knowledge and be ever so helpful."

Ratonhnhaké:ton chuckled softly to the ridiculous high-pitched voice and conceded to her offer, taking the book into his hands to smooth one over the clean cover. The Burnetts had opened a door for him that would've never been available outside of Davenport and was glad to have kind friends. Who else, besides his neighbors and tribe, would help a young native trying to learn of subjects not known to his people? The single lock of hair that framed his face slapped lightly against his cheek as he turned to face the young girl and stated with gratitude, "Thank you, Caroline."

"There's no need to thank me, we're here to help just like you help us" she replied earnestly since his walks around the trails kept them safe and extra catches gave them supper. They were all neighbors for the moment but they would grow to be a big family in the long haul. There was nobody else that Caroline was grateful to help when they needed it.

Alice's voice filled the quiet cabin as she held the slate to her chest and exclaimed happily, "I wrote my entire list, mama! Look!"

Mrs. Burnett crossed the room to embrace her youngest daughter for her small accomplishment with a proud smile for her hard work as she read the slate. Ratonhnhaké:ton watched Alice show the slate to everyone with delight in her brown eyes since she originally assumed it would be too hard. It was hard for him not to smile as Alice pointed at her scribbled words to recite her words to show she truly understood. He would have to embrace this new world that had washed upon his land but the Burnetts brought a sense of home he hadn't felt in quite a while. He would take solace in that one aspect as he assimilated rather than the grim perspective that not all white colonists would bring acceptance. As time passed, he would continually ask who he was.

"Connor, help me draw a cat" Alice requested enthusiastically since she'd finished her work and wanted to continue her studies by drawing images that would help her along. Ratonhnhaké:ton watched her leave Amelia's side as the older girl chuckled to her excitement and the little brunette girl plopped down next to him. He smiled with amusement when her blue skirt puffed in similarity to a cloud and she held her slate between them to say cheerfully, "I like drawing to help me learn. You're good at learning so can you help me?"

Amelia grinned with mirth towards Caroline as the two watched Alice's giddiness and stated nonchalantly, "It seems we've been replaced."

Alice giggled to their joke as Ratonhnhaké:ton remained quiet as always, merely watching their interactions, and she pointed out with a toothy smile, "No, you two are smarter than us. Connor will help me be smart too and I will help him be super smart!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't contain his amusement this time and chuckled to her joy since the children never hesitated to include him in their lives. He wouldn't be able to draw a cat but if it was similar to how he'd drawn wildlife on the dirt during his life in Kanathséton, he could handle it. Samuel, who saw his two partners working together, didn't want to be left outside the loop on his own and crawled over with his slate to declare with a pout, "You're not leaving me alone with Martha. She scolds me."

Alice ruffled her little brother's red hair to leave it in a frizzy mess and laughed aloud, "What about Eliza?"

The copper-haired girl had fallen asleep on the floor on her belly while her slate was half finished with her assignment. Ratonhnhaké:ton would not be intimidated to learn alongside the Burnetts at all but his days would definitely be interesting.

7 November 1770

Ratonhnhaké:ton's shoulder ached after another day of manning the Aquila but he was determined to continue his first lesson to learn all that he could from Faulkner. The wax candle in the lantern hanging from the wooden beam of the captain's ceiling swayed to the sides like an old pendulum. Shadows passed through the room in an eerie dance as the ship rocked gently in the calm sea. It had taken him a while to become accustomed to life over the water but he'd been eager to explore past the forest when Faulkner asked. The opportunity to venture to other places and man a ship- it was something one of his tribe could never do. Again, he faced stepping too deeply into water that led to a white settler's life and straying from his. At night, he often wondered how much his identity would shift with time but one thing was certain- his people would be protected. Even if he had to walk in a white man's shoes in order to achieve justice, he would do so without sacrificing who he was . . . his core traits would always persevere.

He sat in the comfortable plush bed inside the captain's quarters but hardly anything of his was inside since he'd jumped aboard with only the clothes on his back and weapons. The Aquila was already returning home to Davenport's cove but Ratonhnhaké:ton wouldn't forget his first experience fighting off British forces over the water. He had been worried for a moment since he didn't want to destroy the Aquila in her maiden voyage after promising Faulkner he'd take care of it. In the end, he managed to lead a successful mission as his first mate guided him through battle and Ratonhnhaké:ton picked up the basics rather quickly. The ringing in his ears from cannon fire, however, took a while to dissipate and his own heart rate had risen almost as it had during his escape from Boston. The voyage had boosted his confidence and he believed that maybe he could be a good captain for the ship by gaining experience. Faulkner assured he would since missions to protect trade routes or flush out Templar control over the sea would soon arrive now that the Aquila was back in business.

Throughout his journey to Martha's Vineyard, he'd kept practicing his school lessons on Caroline's slate. She'd allowed him to borrow it whenever he needed it outside of school and he'd had it in hand, along with an arithmetic book, when Faulkner summoned him. Hopefully, Caroline wouldn't mind but he'd repay her for the inconvenience somehow. He wanted to master the language so nobody could make a fool of him and he could use it to help those that held no voice. It was a privilege to learn and he would not let it go to waste.

Carefully, he moved his hand over the black slate and controlled his movements for good hand coordination. His first days had brought him frustration since his dexterity in wielding a bow didn't help for drawing a letter. It did, however, help him control the pencil with time as he adjusted his fine movements and hoped his script would soon match white children of his age.

My name is now Connor, I am fourteen winters old. I like milk with cinam-

He erased the last word quickly as he caught his mistake and corrected himself, cinnamon bread.

I have two horses, named James and Roger.

I lead the Aquila.

Winter comes soon.

The Burnetts are friends . . . a new family.

Alice has . . . brown . . . eyes, like a bird.

Sammy likes horses too.

Eliza is lazy but kind.

Martha . . . stays away.

Amelia is really nice, smart too.

Caroline has very blue eyes. . .like the sky. They are pretty.

Mother, I have friends. . .I miss you.

They were simple sentences but one day, he'd be able to write lengthy descriptive letters that were full of quality in their words.

A/N: I decided to post the chapter before the holidays since I'll be cooking and eating till I explode but the family bonding is delightful. Apart from that, Connor has had quite the way with words in the game and I wondered just where he managed to have such an expanse vocabulary (looking towards Achilles for playing adoptive papa to him). As he struggles to find his foothold in the world, I wanted to include his personal thoughts because any boy would miss his mother but he's finding a new family in Davenport as residents will continue growing. I decided to wait for the convoy chapter until next time so the chapter wouldn't be too long so I hope you enjoyed it!

Thank you for the new alerts- yay, 12 in total!- and am grateful for each of them, along with my reviewers:

thewriter1713: Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked it! Accuracy is what I am for.

ShizukRen-Hime: Yay, I'm glad to have you along for this story too. It's not as outrageously humorous like Vivian's tale with Altair (man, that one is my best humor work) but I started small with that story and am over 200 reviews so who knows what the future has planned for 2013. As for the Gaelic question, this chapter adressed it slightly but yes, they have to. I imagine colonist families with a native language to the land would speak it in their new home to maintain ties with their culture- similar to Connor with his people. I'm glad you like hearing it, I'm a Spanish/English speaker only so I love the handiness of Google translate when I make characters of various cultural backgrounds.

grayfox1991: Thank you for the kind words, I always try to match quantity with quality when I write which is why I researched for a bit after I finished the game before posting a story. Even today, I learned something new about using snow in pans to make candy out of hot molasses or syrup. I can't wait to write their first Christmas chapter. When it comes to that age for courting, he'll be awkward as he's thrown into a different ballgame altogether but Achilles will play his fatherly role for him. I can already imagine what 'the birds and the bees' talk will do to the poor boy.

Loc Dog: Thanks!

NinjaxSketcheartx: Don't worry, each child will pop out but Martha's naturally quiet (for this age, anyway) so she tends to blend away. Amelia will be seen more with Caroline as the chapters progress since the two are the closest siblings and they try to figure out what life has in store for them as adults- she'll head to Boston while Caroline, well, she'll be a little daring. Three years is a long time and it would've been good for Ubisoft to include something in there, especially since Connor and Achilles had that adoptive father-son/teacher-student role developing. He definitely struggles with identity management and his hope for actually trying to turn Haytham into an ally just made me feel bad because he had Achilles, a man who raised him for years as his own. Both, however, died so all he really has is Davenport in the end. I will definitely be including Achilles' funeral since it shows his vulnerability when he speaks to his grave alone and Caroline will be there to remind him he has Davenport behind him in support. Thank you for the lengthy review, I love 'em!

Thank you for reading and may all of you be safe in the world as we bid goodbye to another year soon.