Music Inspiration: Immediate- "The Waltz"
Food & Play For The Soul
12 November 1770
Ratonhnhaké:ton had returned to Davenport Homestead, his home away from home, in one piece without scratches. Of course, his arrival was cut short of its cheer after receiving a small scolding by Achilles after being worried but the old man was glad to see him safe. The Burnett children had the same reaction, without the scolding, and had wrapped him into a hug that left him surprised and breathless- especially when they toppled him over like an oak tree. He'd never realized just how much a temporary leave would affect Davenport and he couldn't help but be filled with warmth that he actually meant something to them. He knew he was a student of Achilles and a neighbor to the Burnett children but. . .they had slowly grown to be his adoptive family.
He could only hold optimism to what the future would bring.
At the current moment, Ratonhnhaké:ton sat on a log bench resting against the Burnett's small log cabin since the morning grass remained damp with melting crystals of water that glittered like jewels against the sunlight. Alice and Martha were finishing their lessons alongside him for the day while Samuel and Elizabeth decided to forgo them to play with little Ann. The golden curled child giggled as Elizabeth played peek-a-boo, her little green dress twirling with each motion from her small belly. Ratonhnhaké:ton had become accustomed to the children's lives and a scolding from Mrs. Burnett to Elizabeth for skipping her lessons had become natural. Their family interactions often brought him lament for his mother since he didn't have a female figure he could embrace, seek advice from, or receive encouragement but Achilles and Mrs. Burnett made ideal parental figures for him.
His nose inhaled the scent of smoked meat and heard Alice sniff the air with an 'mmm' from her lips. Amelia chuckled from her spot in the cabin's open doorway as she sat on a chair and knitted red mittens for one of her sisters since Christmas would approach in a month. The smell from the smoking oven had piqued Alice's nose as their mother, Aunt Diana, and Caroline smoked meat from deer that the men caught during one of their morning hunts. Both men had crafted a smoking oven out of a hollowed oak tree trunk and placed a small roof on top out of wood from the original tree to allow smoke to remain entrapped (but removable to prevent a fire). They had nailed small horizontal beams to hang the slices of meat in racks and added hooks to the topmost area to hold larger thicker pieces (bones added flavor to broths). The hollowed out wood was cut into chips to feed the fire that would smoke the meat and a small square door had been installed to insert or remove meat.
Winter was approaching and food had to be prepared for storage since rides into town would not be occurring with the incoming snowfall. Ratonhnhaké:ton remembered wrapping himself in thick furs to travel in the snow when winter came to his village and wondered how his first in Davenport would be like. He'd found himself delighted when Elizabeth told him they used buckets of snow for water since rivers froze and heated them over fires to make drinkable water for food and bathing. His village used the similar technique when fresh water wasn't available and they wouldn't hunt since many animals would be hibernating. The residents were stocking their food in the coldest parts of their homes, the attic, so they would be frozen solid throughout winter to last the season. Ratonhnhaké:ton had already seen Mrs. Burnett and Mrs. Galloway placing fruits suspended in syrupy liquid inside jars to be used for later or for jams. They had given him one jar of apples after he'd kindly helped the women make corn soup that originated from his village and the children had been delighted to eating hearty soup from another culture. Ratonhnhaké:ton had expected them to be wary since his taste for particular food varied from theirs but the children had been happy to drink every last drop and had asked for seconds. In the end, Ratonhnhaké:ton had fresh jam to spread over his bread during breakfast and he'd been delighted to the sweet taste. Now, his jar rested in the cellar of the manor since that was the coldest place and he enjoyed eating a snack after training.
"I can't wait to try the thin venison strips" Alice sighed fondly to the delicious herby aroma mixing into the air and the children agreed with an enthusiastic nod. Being the smallest girl, she took the smallest strips of meat but they were the tastiest in her book since they became deliciously crispy at the ends. Who didn't love the crunchiness and smoky taste? She didn't work hard like Caroline or Amelia to help their mother so they deserved their larger portions; it was fair. One day, though, she'd be old enough to help them rub salt and fragrant herbs onto the fresh meat.
Elizabeth scooped up Ann as the small girl giggled, the warm black stockings of her legs peeking out as she kicked her feet happily. Being the playful one of all the children, she enjoyed watching over her little neighbor and Ann was a sweet child that didn't fuss. Since her aunt Diana had to do everything on her own without help, her mother lent a hand to lighten the load. Today, however, both women needed to tend to the smoking oven to ensure the meat would be cooked correctly.
She approached the children sitting on the log, shooing away Samuel when he passed by as he imitated a friendly dog for Ann. The little toddler tried to swat him away playfully as Elizabeth juggled her carefully in her arms and smiled widely to the group, "I want the snow to get here. Imagine how many snow pictures and angels we can make!"
"What are snow pictures?" Ratonhnhaké:ton asked quietly since he'd traveled through the snow only when his mother allowed him to or when he needed to fetch a catch for the tribe to eat. All of the children turned to him with surprise since the pastime was common knowledge in the colonies and his broad shoulders arched as he leaned back in his usual modest position. He lived among them, yes, but he still didn't know much about their culture and carried his roots proudly.
Amelia stopped her knitting as the children giggled with glee to tell him because they knew he'd absolutely love it. Who wouldn't want to wiggle in the snow like a baby bear? She put an end to their little laughing fit before he began to blush in embarrassment and explained amicably with a smile, "You throw yourself in the snow and move your arms and feet to make a picture from the movement. Caroline and I jump from tree stumps so the pictures and angels come out clean. Whoever has the cleanest picture wins but it's usually between Martha and Caroline."
"Sammy and I are small so we wiggle everywhere" Alice agreed since her original outline became a small bear on its hind legs by the time she managed to climb out of her indent. She was still quite proud of it, though.
Martha was slowly melting out of her shell after being naturally wary of the native boy but he'd been nothing but kind to her family. After hearing so much about the 'evil' savages, she'd fallen into stereotyping them but 'Connor' was shyer than she and Alice combined. Time would serve to close the rifts between cultures but she would follow in her siblings' steps to remain cordial. She placed her slate down in her lap, smoothing back brown tendrils that had fallen over her freckled cheeks and gave her tips for snow angels, "It's best to fall facedown and use your hands to stand up by crawling back to meet your feet. Caroline packs in the snow with her hands as she leaves and adds pebbles and sticks to make faces on hers."
Elizabeth gasped as a sudden idea struck her on the head and she squeezed little Ann to exclaim ecstatically, "Snow men! We can make snow men!"
Ratonhnhaké:ton was surprised by their excitement over snow but it was beautiful aesthetically when it fell in delicate flakes upon the ground. He scribbled his last word on the slate from the vocabulary list he'd been given earlier, proud of his work, and asked carefully, "And these are winter games?"
"Yes, there are hundreds of them!" Alice answered dramatically with a happy grin since she'd been proud to partake in them for the last three winters. This time, however, they would have free reign over the land and snow would pile high unless their father shoveled it away. There would be no limit to what she could play this winter!
Martha sighed to her little sister's exaggeration and corrected, "No, there's-"
Samuel burst into laughter as Caroline shot out from the right side of the house with black soot over her hands and cheeks, resembling a wild woman of the forest. Even Ratonhnhaké:ton was taken aback by her disheveled appearance. Had she accidentally fallen into a fireplace? Caroline, however, was merely wearing the appearance of a rural colonial woman at work. Tending to the smoking fire was long work as they watched the flames, added wooden chips, poked the fire, and added a little water to increase the smoke spreading through the vertical oven. Her simple green dress was covered in soot patches around the shoulders but it could be cleaned or discarded for fabric scraps since it was a working dress.
Ann grasped Elizabeth's neck in apprehension that Caroline was a monster coming to take her away from her beloved home and whimpered softly. Her little brown leather shoes tapped against Elizabeth's side as she whimpered nervously to the approaching intruder. No, she was a good little girl and wanted to stay with her family. Samuel leaned over to pat the top of her head, the soft blond curls flattening under his hand as he assured confidently, "It's Carrie, Ann. Doesn't she look funny with smoke on her face?"
Caroline chuckled softly as she passed by, stopping to tickle the bottom of Ann's round chin to chase away her fear and stop her lips from quivering. The little girl focused on the features of the 'monster' but realized that yes, this was Caroline with soot on her face. Her blue eyes glittered with relief as her chubby little hands waved happily in welcome and Caroline smiled at putting her at ease. Amelia left her knitting on the chair as she stood up to stretch, smoothing down any wrinkles on her brown dress to smile at her sister, "How is the meat coming along?"
"Good, I love hearing the crackling wood and the smell when the oven door opens" she replied earnestly and smiled in gratitude when Amelia handed her a cloth to wipe her face with. She was surprised at how much color smeared onto it and laughed softly as she scrubbed off the rest from her dusty skin. My, she must've resembled a horror story monster- no wonder Ann was frightened.
Ratonhnhaké:ton was ready to lend a hand and leaned forward to call out to the girl heading to the other side of the doorway, "Do you need help? It is no trouble for me."
"No, mama wants you to keep learning- that's why I'm there" Caroline chuckled amusingly since she'd become endeared by his selfless kindness but he deserved to study in peace. She loved this time of year as she helped her mother preserve all kinds of food in the attic and made the most out of baking from the crushed grains they had since the move from Boston. They hadn't needed to head into town for supplies since moving because their father had ensured their goods would last a while and the land supplied what they needed.
She squeezed past Amelia's chair to enter their warm home to open a black wooden chest that contained their father's chopping axe and grabbed it carefully into both hands. Amelia withheld a gasp as she saw her sister wield the axe without faltering and quickly reminded her that he'd told them to never use it. Caroline waved a dismissive hand since she already had experience after helping their father for two years in the forest after her studies. Being the oldest, she took on the responsibilities for her parents when they were overburdened without hesitation and enjoyed learning new skills. Why not make the most out of life, right?
She exited the house to move to the right towards the pile of firewood that her father had cut for personal use and kicked the highest log onto the floor. The small log rolled for a few seconds before stopping from the lack of momentum and Caroline moved to the nearest leveled tree stump to place the axe beside it. The children would be wise to keep away and the closest she was to the smoke oven with the chips would make the trips quicker for her task.
Martha, worried that her sister would end up injuring herself, demanded hesitantly, "Carrie, what are you doing?"
"We need more wooden chips and we're out" she replied quickly as she picked up the log to carry it over to the stump with careful steps since it was a bit heavy. The mountain of wooden chips they'd cut to maintain the fire had quickly burned away since there was a lot of meat to smoke from the venison. Her mother had asked her to find a log so she could cut it herself but the young girl would go a step further. Caroline, already knowing her mother was keeping watch on the meat so it wouldn't burn while her aunt Diana controlled the smoke leaving the detachable roof, wouldn't have time to do it. If you had the skill, why not cut the time? She placed the log vertically as she'd done many times before when her father let her have fun without her mother's watchful eye. There was really no question as to why she and Elizabeth tended to be stubborn since their father let them indulge in a little independence. She waved a hand to her worried siblings as she grabbed the axe into her hands with a sturdy grip and smiled cheekily, "So I'm making some."
With that said, she stood with her legs lightly parted to keep her posture straight and swung the axe in the straight lumberjack's arch her father had taught her. Martha and Amelia yelped in surprise when the metal struck something with a sharp thunk!- and both hoped Caroline wouldn't need a doctor. Ratonhnhaké:ton placed his slate on the log to check whether Caroline was all right since he heard no noise and would feel guilty if she'd become injured while he'd been there. He protected his residents and if any harm befell them-
"You are stubborn, little log" Caroline muttered under her breath as she moved her left foot to the edge of the pierced log and one last sharp tug pulled the axe free. She noticed her ever helpful neighbor eyeing her with a cautious glance as he stood a meter away and she smiled pleasantly to show everything was fine. Did everyone think she'd hack off her foot? Goodness, she'd done this dozens of times now. She chuckled softly to his apparent worry, noticing the raise of his eyebrows and the light parting of his lips as he watched her movements. Her right hand motioned for him to move back to prevent injuring him and she assumed her original position to swing the axe upon the small log once more, splitting it in two from the blunt force.
The two pieces fell neatly onto the stump and she lowered the axe to arrange them vertically to make the cutting easier. She would cut them into smaller blocks and from there, use a hacking knife to make the small chips to cast into the oven. Looking to Ratonhnhaké:ton, she smiled to his tense squared shoulders as he kept vigilant to any mistake on her part and she chuckled in amusement, "If you're so eager to help, you can bring me a few logs so I can chop them into kindling."
"I could cut them for you?" he offered as a safer alternative since he remained in the dark about her skills and she chuckled for the kind chivalry. Caroline was certain the girls in his village would swoon for his mannerisms when they came of age.
She waved a hand tinted with soot while holding the axe in the other and grinned amusingly, "But that's where the fun is at . . . which is why we'll take turns."
Ratonhnhaké:ton watched her continue chopping the wood into neat square blocks and had to admit she was an impressive sight. Boston girls of her age were either practicing their patchwork skills or etiquette since his first trip allowed him glimpses of Bostonian life. Although Achilles warned him to never look at a white woman or girl directly, he remained in awe to the bustling life in the colonies. He hadn't seen girls chopping wood like men and could see where little Elizabeth gained her insight for independence against gender roles.
14 November 1770
Ratonhnhaké:ton smacked his lips in delight as the food he ate brought back heartwarming memories of eating alongside his mother in Kanatahséton. When they'd caught meat, they would often smoke it as well and he enjoyed sitting next to her as he learned the process. He'd even prepared a few salmon strips himself and had smiled with glee when she approved. The slight sting to his heart in reminder that she no longer walked beside him faded away as Alice and Samuel sat on either side with bright smiles. His two little friends chewed with the same enthusiasm as they bit into the bread roll filled with smoked venison strips. The smoking process had finished and each family held their supplies for the upcoming winter but a few were stored inside the warm houses for use throughout the weeks when game wasn't available. During the winter, there would be no hunting since most animals went into hibernation and Alice would miss seeing the little brown hares with their twitching noses peek out from the thick grass.
"This is so-o-o-o good" Elizabeth drawled with a big smile as she salivated more with each bite and wished she could preserve her snack forever.
Catherine allowed the children to eat a light lunch after their school day because once heavy snowfall began, their days would be spent inside with light teaching days. Her children would keep a tidy house since the lack of daily outside play would mean many toys left for cleanup. Today, however, she'd showered them with a tasty lunch since they would help prepare the wagon for its first trip into Boston for trade. The business plan had been set forth and while they'd been living on their savings and stored food, they had enough lumber to sell throughout the colony. She hadn't told her children that their father would set out in the morning but knew they'd be eager to help begin the family business.
"They look so happy" Diana mused with a smile as she watched her little Ann eat her own roll while Martha kept her sitting in her lap. She hoped their new business would take off since they needed clients to keep coming back. For the moment, they would supply lumber to storekeepers supplying it for homebuilders or wherever they could sell it. What mattered most was having continuous customers, whether old or new, and stated quietly, "With winter coming, orders will be slower-"
"We'll start small for this winter, sell lumber to the nearest town for any use- we all need firewood, right?" Catherine reasoned gently to reassure her everything would work out but she had faith in her Godfrey. When the man set out to do something, he did it with unyielding dedication. The same flame of determination carried on in their daughters, especially Caroline and Elizabeth. She would not doubt their dream until their last hope was exhausted and pointed out with a cheerful smile, "We can save what we earn and start fresh at the earliest thaw. We're in no rush to set this up and patience carries us a long way, Diana. Glasgow was no easy distance, remember?"
Diana nodded quietly since the journey to the New World hadn't guaranteed a safe passage but they'd braved the risks, especially the Burnetts with three young daughters. Yes, she would stand strong against whatever obstacles came their way. Catherine wrapped an arm around her shoulders in never-ending support and assured warmly, "We'll be fine, Diana. We always have been and this is the safest of places we've lived in to bear danger."
"Eliza's trying to eat my roll!" Martha hollered to her mother as the smaller girl skittered off to escape being caught, huddling behind Caroline with a sneaky smile. The eldest girl laughed with amusement to Martha's outraged face as her fair cheeks flushed pink and Caroline held out her roll so Elizabeth could have a bite. The young girl bit into it with gratitude and rubbed the brown dress covering her belly in circles to show Martha that she'd nabbed her savory bite elsewhere. Amelia chuckled to their antics as Elizabeth settled down between Caroline and Alice, making faces at the brunette girl for her tattle telling. Martha's pink lips thinned in displeasure since she enjoyed eating in peace rather than roughhousing and exclaimed angrily, "Mother, she's making faces!"
Amelia sighed with dismay since their mother was in conversation with their aunt and both girls were being downright disrespectful. Caroline was trying to hold in her laughter at their sisterly spat while Alice and Samuel ignored it completely, leaving Ratonhnhaké:ton to wonder whether the two would earn another lecture. Amelia directed a stern glare to the two girls to quell their spat and spoke firmly, "Eliza, Martha, behave. Mother is talking and Connor is here, don't be disrespectful."
Elizabeth looked to Ratonhnhaké:ton with a cheeky grin that unsettled him because it always meant trouble and pointed to Martha, "The back of her head looks like a horse's butt-"
"Eliza!"
Caroline shook her head as she gently rapped the top of Elizabeth's white bonnet to quiet her. The younger girl frowned for having her jokes cut short and Caroline slipped on her figurative eldest sister shoes to lecture matter-of-factly, "Eliza, you know Martha has beautiful hair."
The younger girl pouted as her jokes hit a personal marker that their parents forbid since each child had to respect the other as family came first. She didn't want to hurt Martha's feelings but her older sister always acted too proper, refusing to be the giddy child she'd played with when younger. Ever since the prior year, Martha had started acting like one of those little ladies that Elizabeth didn't want to become as Martha followed Amelia's footsteps. Caroline rubbed her back in encouragement as Elizabeth saw her mistake and smiled warmly since she had Caroline by her side to play with- not to mention Alice and Samuel.
"Connor, you should play a game with us!" Caroline encouraged with a clap of her hands to keep the amicable mood ongoing and Amelia agreed with a small smile. It was better to be a cohesive family unit than squabbling siblings and stood up to brush off bread crumbs from her green skirt. She frowned at a brownish stain on her white apron from marinade that fell from her roll and tried to blend it out with her thumb as her brow furrowed. The children and Ratonhnhaké:ton contained amused smiles as she rubbed at the stubborn stain but continued gruelingly under her breath, "I. . .for one. . .enjoy a good game- oh, curse this little stain."
Dropping the fabric, she clasped her hands over her messy skirt and looked to them all for input, "How about it?"
"Hide-and-seek!"
"Marbles!"
"Tip Cat!"
"Blind Man's Bluff!"
Ratonhnhaké:ton remained silent to the unknown games, except for marbles, since he'd rarely played and stayed only for schooling when Achilles needed him back at the manor. Elizabeth jumped up from her seat as if she'd been bitten on the butt with enthusiasm itself and clapped, "That one!"
Amelia plucked blades of the grass and each child grabbed one, except Martha as she kept Ann in her care, and Ratonhnhaké:ton stared the familiar sight. Had he played this before? He took the last blade from Amelia's hand with a curious glance as she explained enthusiastically, "Whoever has the shortest blade will be blindfolded and has to guess who steps into the circle when we tell you to guess. If you're right, they take the blindfold and assume your role but if you're wrong, you have to grab them in one swipe only. If not, you have to keep guessing."
Well, he might as well begin using his training.
Each child unveiled their grass blade to size them up and Ratonhnhaké:ton frowned at receiving the shortest end. Why was it that he always grabbed the littlest one? Truly, life humored him in games. Alice and Martha giggled since they hated to be the blindfolded party but Ratonhnhaké:ton would have to bear it this time. Being the tallest (well, Amelia would probably grow past her soon), Caroline used a clean white handkerchief from her dress pocket to wrap it around his eyes carefully. Tucking his shoulder-length raven hair behind his honey hued ears, she wrapped a knot at the ends and smiled, "There."
He closed his eyes and attuned his hearing to his surroundings, tuning out the voices of the elder women to focus on the children's hushed conversations. After months alongside them, he'd become familiar to their personalities and their gaits weren't hard to determine. Amelia's were light and calculated as she carried herself properly while Caroline's were fasted paced and confident as she focused on her target. Martha's footing was short in stride due to her cautiousness and the slowest of all while Elizabeth practically ran as her pitter-patter resembled a wild hare's. The only ones that proved difficult were Alice and Samuel due to their young ages but the rest were quite easy to guess. He heard hasty shuffling close in proximity as the first player approached him and heard the children yell, "Guess!"
There was only one who had a fast step but it was controlled, not careless like a young child's.
"Eliza!"
"Aw, I hate the blindfold" she mumbled in disappointment as he plucked her name correctly out of many and he smiled faintly to her tone.
Caroline removed the blindfold from his head to bathe his vision in warm sunlight and placed it over Elizabeth's as she pouted. She really hated wearing the blindfold and preferred running around the main player rather than standing still. Ratonhnhaké:ton watched the game from the player's eye this time as Elizabeth called out for them to play nice and not lie, jabbing her index finger in all directions. Samuel moved into the circle since he was the smallest, not to mention hardest, to distinguish and she called out, "Alice!"
"Nope!" Alice giggled with amusement as she stuck to Amelia's side, her hands grasping her sister's brown skirt in excitement. She liked playing the game from the outside since it became hard for her when the cloth was wrapped over her eyes. The older children made it easy for little Alice when it was her turn since she became nervous quite easily unlike Samuel, who enjoyed guessing games.
Elizabeth decided to jump into her one chance catch and dove straight ahead but Samuel strayed to the left. She grasped nothing but air and tipped over onto the thick grass on her stomach, striking the ground with a fist to groan miserably, "Aw, not again."
She resumed her position with a few patches of dirt on her brown dress and Caroline took Samuel's spot as the boy scurried to Ratonhnhaké:ton's side. When he was around for their games, Samuel stuck next to him since he liked having an older brother of sorts that he could talk to instead of all of his girly sisters. Elizabeth scratched her round chin thoughtfully as the new person blocked the sunlight reflecting through the handkerchief and mused, "Hmm, you're tall so. . . Amelia?"
"She's not that tall" Caroline stated hastily about her lack of height and laughed aloud as she gave herself away. Well, she did tend to blurt things out instead of mulling them over in her head first. She allowed Elizabeth to tag her when she reached out with her hands and pulled her into an embrace to squeeze her little sister until she squeaked in defeat. Kissing the top of her head affectionately, she removed the blindfold to let her rejoin the group and tied it behind her head to continue the game. Another set of hasty pitter-pattered feet closed in and Caroline bit the inside of her cheek since three children fit that description. Since two had already gone, she decided to go with her last choice and declared, "Alice!"
"Nope, me again" Samuel laughed merrily and Caroline sighed aloud with a smile to his little mischief. He returned to their side with his arms wide open to resemble a bird and latched onto Alice by the shoulders with a giggle, both children laughing to the fun game.
Elizabeth ushered Ratonhnhaké:ton forward to go since he'd never played the game and doubted Caroline would figure out it was him. He entered the circle with a little confidence this time after observing the children's gameplay and the children called out, "Guess!"
"Since there's light being blocked. . .Amelia?" Caroline put forward uncertainly since Amelia was the only one that rivaled her height. Unfortunately, she forgot to count on one taller boy that beat them by several inches and this was her downfall. Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled faintly as the blindfolded girl moved her head at all angles in the hope that she'd figure out the correct name but not this time.
"Wrong again" Amelia laughed as she stayed far behind the children where Martha held little Ann, both girls enthused with the game.
"It's Connor, isn't it?" she asked flatly as the only other choice fit the puzzle and resisted from slapping her forehead. The children laughed aloud to her sarcastic tone since she'd already lost the first round and only had one last chance to nab him. Her shoulders sagged as the sound only served to affirm her guess and she sighed softly, "I'll take the silence from the second player as a yes."
Caroline thinned her lips thoughtfully on how to approach catching him since she was only allowed one grab. Well, nobody said she couldn't bend the rules, right? She swept her left foot outwards to move it in an arch where Ratonhnhaké:ton stood but the boy's reflexes were faster and he dodged her leg quickly by jumping backwards. Elizabeth was quick to object to the crafty loophole (why didn't she think of that?) and called out to protest, "No cheating!"
"I'm not, I'm allowed one grab- there's no mention of leg sweeping in the rulebook" Caroline pointed out with a witty grin as she was blind again after her leg sweep to flush out the person's whereabouts. The moving shadow in her blindfold helped determine where the unknown player was but didn't help in determining distance so she was on her own. There was nothing else she could do but leap towards the person in a similar fashion to Elizabeth and sighed under her breath, "Oh, what do I have to lose?"
She didn't catch him.
A/N: I decided to cut the convoy trip for the next chapter since these bad boys keep getting longer than originally anticipated. I love dear innocent Connor as he weaves into both cultures and the children are eager to share his culture since they both care about the land they share. For some odd reason, I can imagine him rolling cornmeal cakes between his hands with the kids and letting them bake in an iron cast bake-oven inside the fireplace. Thank you all for the continuous support as always:
grayfox1991: Lol, I hadn't thought about puppets but you gave me a good idea with the Sesame Street joke for sock puppets. Connor doesn't use colonist clothing at all, except for his captain attire (which is super awesome), so it would funny for him to think socks and stockings are like mittens. He'll be getting Christmas presents in an upcoming chapter and can see him doing this as he tries to understand the holiday. Also, receiving his captain's outfit would be a good addition to his journey and I can already imagine him showing it to Achilles for his input. I can't help but see the two having that father-son bond over the years since both lack blood relatives.
NinjaxSketcheartx:Yikes, that's a lot of essays but I sympathize; I once had an English class the required 8 or so essays a month since we had to write one after every class lecture. Caroline's definitely relatable in personality traits since they both have that selfless caretaking role which will grow as they age through the story. I finished outlining the story up until late 1783 so those adorable children grew rather quick but I'm going to love writing out those chapters. Martha's a natural worrier but she'll definitely cast it aside with time and will hail him as a hero when he chases that burglar from the homestead mission. With the influx of immigrants after independence and land coming under the name of the new country, everyone wanted their claim. I can see why Connor felt betrayed after hearing his people's land had been sold without any regard and I was reading on how certain tribes had helped original colonists survive and brave the new land when they first arrived by showing how to live off the land. Obviously, that backfired in the friendship wagon when the Land Ordinance Law of 1785 rolled in to give the US money to recuperate war losses.
thewriter1713: You're exactly right; I was trying to think of a decent title for the story and was listening to Two Steps from Hell (whom I love!) when I saw the name. I'm glad you like his down to earth and sweeter side since yes, he is quite serious in the game. Culture and interpersonal dynamics plays a big role with the characters Ubisoft makes but I definitely liked Connor's character- except when the company made him kill off his childhood friend. Couldn't he have disarmed his pal and knocked him out pretty good? :(
AwesomeJellyBean: Being from a matrilineal culture, Connor's dear mother was everything in his eyes so it just adds to his character- not to mention adding lots of fans. Like another reviewers mentioned, he's added so much responsibility to his young age and seeing him handle it all just makes you want to squeeze him like a stuffed animal. I was a little teary eyed when he confronted Haytham about Kaniehtí:io and recalled seeing his mother burning alive and being unable to do anything about it- that alone would give someone nightmares for years.
ShizukaRen-Hime: I think all of us experience that insecurity with culture shock when we travel, live in a different city, or go to another school/job. I'm glad you liked it since I won't be going over the top with making Connor ethnocentric by having him think his culture's better or criticize this and that about others- it's too catty and definitely not our beloved gentle assassin-to-be. Good for you on knowing a third language, I tried Italian but I've been too preoccupied to stick with it (beautiful language that I can understand but not speak, lol). You're right on the Scottish Gaelic, I had to search phrases and go to a few forums to make the language accurate for them.
william12: Thank you very much, I enjoyed all of the residents' stories but bawled when Achilles died and awed when Prudence had her little Hunter. We'll be seeing that here too. :)
Next Time: A Dream To Be Shared
20 November 1770
When Godfrey returned, both families were expectant to see what news awaited them. Every time the clack of hooves was heard, they peeked out of their doors to see who drove the horses. Most of the time, it was men heading north to deliver cargo for the Aquila on the bay since the large warship would travel soon to protect a trade route. Well, so Connor said, but the children remained respectful by not prying further and asking about its captain. They imagined it to be Mr. Faulkner since the man could drone on endlessly about his boat but Elizabeth, Samuel, and Caroline enjoyed his tales when he visited their father. On the third day in the afternoon, a wagon rode into the Davenport homestead but the families had decided to wait inside rather than run outside to see nobody familiar.
Alice played with her little corncob doll near the doorway as her mother allowed for five minutes of outside play since the wind had started becoming chilly. The clacking of hooves drew her attention and the brunette girl called for her mother when she noticed the distinct pattern on the horses, "Mama, Molly and Dolly are back."
As soon as the words were said, numerous footsteps followed with Terry in the lead to greet Godfrey. Alice had barely managed to stand when everyone was outside standing at attention as they awaited the horses to stop at their picket fence with a cheerful Godfrey. Instead, they found themselves surprised to see Connor leading the wagon with Godfrey perfectly asleep beside him. Catherine could only blink in bewilderment as the sight registered while the children wondered how he knew how to drive a wagon. As always, the young man greeted them politely with a faint smile, "I hope you do not mind but I drove after seeing his exhaustion."
"Ah, Godfrey" Terry sighed to his friend's nap but chuckled since the man always returned tired easily from long trips and decided he'd take the next one.
At hearing familiar voices and the lack of movement, Godfrey snapped awake with a sharp jerk as his snoring was cut short. Wiping his bleary eyes, he caught sight of the numerous faces staring at him and he smiled widely with a refreshed face to explain, "That was the fastest nap in my life. I saw ol' Connor here walking the trail home right outside of Boston and brought him back to save him the trouble. Can't have a boy his age walking the trails at night, can we?"
Ratonhnhaké:ton said nothing since none of the residents knew of his capabilities or true line of profession. Instead, he hopped off the wagon gracefully to land on the dirt and tied the horses' reins to the picket fence to keep them in place. He adjusted the red fox pelt he wore over his shoulders to keep warm against the light breeze that carried into the chilly weather.
"It seems he brought you back" Catherine chided her husband gently as she patted his hand in welcome, happy to see his safe return. Their trails were solitary but one could never be too trusting that they would be void of danger. She was glad to see the young boy since he never failed to help their families and gushed sweetly with a motherly smile, "Thank you for the help, Connor."
"It was of no trouble, ma'am" he replied kindly since the Burnetts had cared for him like one of their own since their arrival and he'd do anything to keep them safe. He'd actually thought of setting up camp if he couldn't make it back to Davenport but the wagon had rolled by with a helping hand to bring him back home. If anything, he should've thanked Godfrey again for the lift since he would've been walking at this hour.
She smiled sweetly to his mild-mannered courtesy and sighed softly, "You are just the quietest darlin' boy."
Elizabeth grinned impishly and nudged Samuel's left side with her elbow to chide, "That means you're the loud darling boy. Careful, mama might swap Connor for you."
Samuel quickly ran to his mother, his small feet scurrying with haste as he tried to avoid that horrible reality. He loved his family and would do anything to stay at their side, clinging to his mother's full yellow skirt to exclaim urgently, "No, mama, no! I'll be good!"
"Eliza" Catherine warned her child as she managed to start another ruckus when her father barely arrived. She helped her husband off the wagon as he stretched his tired legs but Samuel's whimpers ended when his father picked him up. The red haired boy practically molded himself against his dear boban to prevent losing either parent.
"Papa, what about the business?" Amelia inquired quickly to the question on everyone's mind and Caroline nodded eagerly as their hopes came down to one answer. She huddled next to her sister to link their arms to keep warm and both girls looked to him with expectant eyes.