Color The Sky

by Mystic Blade

Connor's life at Davenport homestead brings a sense of family after leaving Kanathséton as he makes new friendships with the residents and finds himself slowly assimilating into one large family. He partakes in a part of life that isn't tied to the assassins while one young resident tackles the new wild frontier to carve a dream for herself as they cultivate their new community.

34. Of Swine and Mink

Music Inspiration: Really Slow Motion- "Edge of Eternity"

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Of Swine and Mink

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30 July 1775

Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded with accomplishment after two days with little sleep and endless studying. He'd worked mercilessly on completing Achilles' language assignment and he'd rewritten the final draft numerous times that he'd lost count. His favorite desk in the library was littered with open books that he'd used as references for translating the work in question. His mentor was not kidding when he meant for him to have a strong mind as well as his assassin skills.

He wasn't the type to have dark circles but he developed them overnight as the assignment wiped him out completely. The filtering sunlight through the open curtains caused him to squint with sensitivity to the warming rays. Wiping his burning eyes, he blinked away the dry irritation as he forced himself to stay awake. Once he turned it in, he could finally return to a normal sleep schedule and his own life.

Holding back a tired yawn, he turned around in his seat to face his mentor with a look of determination. He had completed the unbearably agonizing translation of a text that was hundreds of years old. Ratonhnhaké:ton was pretty sure he didn't have ancestors dating back to that time but it could be the exhaustion talking from that tedious reading. His people remembered history through stories, dance, and song for interpretation, which made literary papers confusing to him.

Achilles had recently woken up to make himself a cup of tea when he'd noticed his protégé scribbling madly in the library. From the looks of his casual attire and half disheveled hair, it appeared he'd been awake for quite a while. The sound of his cane over the floorboards alerted his student to his presence and before he could say good morning, Ratonhnhaké:ton blurted proudly, "I finished the translation from the French Templar text."

He held the papers in the air as if they were a holy relic but after endless hours of reading and writing, he was done. If this was how learning the most commonly used foreign languages would be, he might just make a bonfire out of the library books. It was petty but he blamed it on his lack of sleep and hunger. Achilles grabbed the two sheets of paper that were written neatly in cursive with black ink.

Ratonhnhaké:ton waited with abated breath as the suspense of Achilles' moving eyes and the slightest facial twitch unsettled him. He'd worked on the paper for days so he had to succeed with this one. The joints of his fingers ached from writing and re-editing his paper and his eyes were dry from sleepless nights and endless reading. Otherwise, he'd begin thinking twice about being multilingual.

Finally, he heard his long-awaited verdict.

"There's incorrect grammar in a few places" Achilles declared thoughtfully as he read the translation and gave credit to his commitment. Occasionally, his student would have his hotheaded outbursts when he made an error but Ratonhnhaké:ton said nothing this time. His brown eyes carried the most meaning as they turned to gaze at the floor and his shoulders slumped in disappointment. The older man could see that he'd placed effort into the paper and ignored the little errors in a beginner's-based translation, nodding to accept, "You pass. For now."

Of course, there was nothing wrong with adding an ominous note to continue that successful momentum.

That was good enough for Ratonhnhaké:ton and he relaxed with immense relief. He'd never been so happy to be done with an assignment! Before he could stand up to stretch his legs for the first time in three hours, Achilles interrupted his triumph by asking, "What about the other assignment? This one isn't due today."

The young man paused suddenly with a clear 'what?' of terror written all over his face. There was another assignment? He sacrificed his right hand to write out that first paper! Achilles figured the lack of sleep, coupled with no food, caused the delay in his mind to connect the dots. The old assassin pointed to a stack of green books that had been neatly and strategically shoved under the bottom of the desk.

Ratonhnhaké:ton's gaze slowly swept downwards to realize his error in shoving those books there days ago. In a moment of self-loathing, he'd placed those books there to sulk in the aftermath of his last conversation with Caroline. She'd been the one to help him on his path to mastering the English language and he still had the writing slate she'd given him five years ago for nostalgia's sake. Writing had been his last concern after closing a door with someone he'd dreamt of sharing a life with so he'd temporarily ditched that assignment. Unfortunately, the days went by faster than he realized and now he was facing a new problem.

Achilles expected a defiant protest or excuse for failing to turn in the right assignment and pass off the one he held. Instead, Ratonhnhaké:ton's head hit the table as he slumped over in exhaustion and defeat to his erroneous oversight. Achilles expected to hear a groan of pain from the blunt strike on the hardwood top but the assassin uttered a faint whine before snoring softly. He failed to stir afterwards in his spot as his left cheek pressed against the desk and his arms were splayed over it like an exhausted old turtle.

Achilles decided to let him sleep this time rather than poke him awake. He pushed his student more than most because he encouraged his idealistic hope for freedom and equality. As young as he was, he was slowly accomplishing his goals but he needed to be level-headed against his enemies, especially when the Templar leader was his father. There would be victories as well as defeat so he had to be ready to handle the aftermath for both outcomes. Achilles pulled the fabric rope holding the curtains open to close them and shroud the library in darkness.

Quietly, he exited the library to let the young man sleep and renew his energy.

"Bon sang" Ratonhnhaké:ton mumbled in his deep sleep as the insomnia knocked him out completely. He'd wake up with a drool trail but for now, he could relax in a peaceful dream land where he didn't have to worry about writing papers.

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13 August 1775

Ratonhnhaké:ton was on his way back from the western outskirts after ensuring the area was safe. The Fortier farm lingered close to the forest and he didn't want the couple to experience another bear incident. With Prudence expecting her first child, the residents of Davenport offered their help to the soon-to-be mother which she greatly appreciated. It had been a simple bother dealing with morning sickness but now that her belly began to swell, Prudence realized her physical activity would decrease. Due to that, Warren lightened her load considerably and she was left with the lightest of housework which she disliked (but appreciated her husband for it).

She was tending to the chickens in their large henhouse as she threw feed over the ground for their meal. A mass of feathers exploded from the wooden homes as hens of white, brown, black, and speckled clucked happily for their meal. At their feet, some hens had little curious chicks following diligently with a chirpy tweet. Out of all their livestock, Prudence enjoyed caring for the chickens the most.

"I have eggs!"

The cheerful voice of Alice Burnett stirred laughter from Prudence since the young girl was always eager to help with the chickens. Catherine or Martha would often drop her off in the late morning after chores to help Prudence with the chicken coop. For her dedication, Prudence would give her a few eggs to take home and taught her the tips and tricks of caring for hens. At the Burnett homestead, Alice was gradually taking the reins from her impressed mother for their own chickens.

Alice watched her step amongst the clucking hens and chirping chicks as she finished placing the brown and white eggs into her wicker basket. She ignored the smell of chicken poop to focus on the positive while soft feathers brushed against the hem of her blue dress. She pushed in the wooden ramps into the coops to keep them outside and held up the basket with pride as Prudence finished dousing the floor with feed.

Prudence had never met anyone so happy over chickens and chuckled, "Good job, Alice."

"I'll take them inside" she piped up happily and held the basket to her chest to protect the bundle. Prudence held the wired gate open for Alice to slip through and shooed any curious hens that tried to follow.

As soon as her fowl were occupied with eating, she left the coop and closed the gate. She would return later to allow them to roam in the adjacent roaming patch Warren had built so she could clean up the coops with Alice. The brunette was happy to do the work herself but Prudence felt guilty allowing it and hoped the progression of her pregnancy wouldn't keep her off her feet. She remembered Diana breathing heavily from a walk at the river to her home when she was pregnant with Daniel and Prudence prayed her child wouldn't kick incessantly.

She leaned against one of the empty chicken coops to catch her breath and patted her baby bump. They were already growing stronger than she was. Alice returned with a pitcher of water and cups, setting them down on the nearest flat tree stump that served as a table. An approaching figure caught the corner of her eye and the brunette looked to the southern road.

"Connor!" she called out happily and waved both her arms to greet her neighbor.

Ratonhnhaké:ton walked up to the wooden fencing of the farming property as Alice's welcoming smile became contagious. Despite the passing years, she still carried the hopeful innocence she'd brought with her to Davenport. Her fascination with blue never ceased either. He noticed Prudence resting against the empty chicken coops in the rear of the house and waved in greeting, "Prudence, how are you?"

Alice opened the wooden gate to allow her friend entrance and closed it right behind him to make sure the animals didn't escape. Otherwise, her neighbors would lose money from the lost livestock. Prudence smiled to the unexpected visit and slowly walked over to her young neighbor. Ratonhnhaké:ton could clearly see the pregnancy was already affecting her and sympathized to the impending motherhood.

Prudence raised a beckoning hand, trying to keep her voice even as she asked modestly, "Oh, Connor. Do you have a moment?"

Similar to the Burnetts, the Fortier family treated him like one of their own. Helping them find a homestead and saving Prudence from a bear cemented a trusting bond between them. With Prudence's pregnancy, Ratonhnhaké:ton wanted to make sure nothing happened to her. After hearing how the couple had tried for years to make a family, he would help Prudence with anything she needed. He nodded quickly without hesitation and asked with concern, "What is it, Prudence?"

Prudence smiled warmly since he never hesitated to lend a hand and spoke with embarrassment, "I feel silly bothering you with this, but Warren's taken our yield to market in Boston. Could you round up the livestock for me?"

She pointed to a couple of pigs foraging around the yard and her trusty gray dog barked to see if they listened. Unfortunately, they weren't sheep and needed a human hand to corral them. Sighing softly, she admitted with defeat, "I've tried but, this baby in my belly takes the wind out of me."

Alice nodded vigorously to get his aid for Prudence and piped up cheerfully, "Please? I can make juice and an egg sandwich for you?"

Ratonhnhaké:ton waved his hands to decline the offer of food, seeing as Prudence needed to keep up her strength, but agreed, "Of course. I will see to it."

He couldn't help but smile faintly when he heard an exuberant 'yay' from Alice and the young girl returned to the chicken coops. She grabbed a nearby wooden stool that Warren used and returned to place it next to Prudence, smiling helpfully, "You sit while we'll take care of this."

"You children are far too kind" she chuckled gratefully for their help around the house. She assumed she could handle it but with Warren needing to sell their produce, someone had to care for the livestock.

"It's what neighbors do" Alice smiled confidently because she helped anyone she could. Otherwise, what would become of human kindness? If she treated others well, she hoped that they would return it in kind.

Ratonhnhaké:ton attempted to herd the pigs into the pen while Alice cleaned the chicken coops with a bucket of water and a broom. He managed to get two inside rather easily but the three remaining were stubborn. He hadn't guided livestock at all and had expected them to be similar to horses. Unfortunately, he was very wrong as they refused to follow his directions and he was forced to release more emotion in his voice as well as raise it.

Fifteen minutes after he began to herd the pigs, Caroline arrived at the farm with Elizabeth and Martha in tow. Caroline had finished her day early at the mill by sorting the new incoming orders and tying ribbons to each type of lumber to correlate with the invoices. With her father being unable to fully read English, she designed a system of color coding and writing a number on the ribbon to dictate how many orders of each he needed. Godfrey was glad to have her onboard at the mill and had begun paying her as an employee as well.

Leaving the rest to her father and uncle, she'd headed home to find Elizabeth watching the grazing horses while Martha sewed quietly beside her. An odd peace had fallen between the two squabbling sisters once Amelia and Caroline returned since each preferred one. For Martha, Amelia was her role model while Elizabeth believed in Caroline and they listened to them diligently. Catherine was thankful for it and had suggested she take the girls to the farm to help in case Prudence needed help. It was Samuel's turn to help with the farm work that day so Catherine was fine on her own and Amelia had healed fully to aid her.

To Prudence, it amused her how different the Burnett sisters were in comparison to when they'd first arrived in Davenport. Caroline's hair covered the nape of her neck and met her chin as it slowly grew, lacking a bonnet, and wearing a blue work tunic and black breeches that ended in light boots. A leather belt around her waist contained her trusty knife, Ruth, and pistol, Albert. She'd left Lady behind for cleaning. Martha was the stark contrast to her androgynous sister as she wore a freshly pressed pink dress covered with white flowers on the skirt, a white kerchief draped over her shoulders, and a brown bonnet over her neatly braided hair. Elizabeth was the epitome of both as her hair was completely loose, blue bonnet dangling behind her back, and a simple blue dress that held dirt patches over the skirt.

Caroline barely greeted her sister and Prudence when she noticed Ratonhnhaké:ton guiding the pigs. You didn't see that every day. Martha and Elizabeth couldn't hold back their laughter when they heard him hollering at the oinking pigs with desperate hand movements to the pen, "Hip hip! This way! Here! I said here!"

The three young women entered the property to watch the spectacle and Martha informed Prudence, "Mother sent us to help with any extra chores-"

"No! Here!"

Prudence bit her bottom lip with embarrassment because her pigs were giving him deaf ears. Her gaze remained focused on Ratonhnhaké:ton but she spoke softly, "Thank you very much, Alice is with the chicken coops if you'd like to help her. The horses and cow are eating while Connor is with-"

"Come here. Káhnyon! Ici!"

"Uh-oh, he's resorting to other languages" Caroline murmured with a faint smile of amusement because it meant he was losing control of the situation. She never would've thought pigs would fluster him so easily. She could hear the difference in his voice and the changes she heard were ones she'd only heard in private. Placing a hand on Elizabeth's back, she smiled brightly, "Let's help, shall we?"

Elizabeth untied her bothersome bonnet in the blink of an eye and chucked it at Martha, who exclaimed to her recklessness. Caroline untied her weapons belt to hand it over to the brunette with care and Martha sighed with exasperation, "What am I? A table?"

"A table wouldn't complain as much" Elizabeth shot back in rebuttal to irk her but Caroline batted her left shoulder. It was definitely like old times again. The little redhead pouted to the innocent swat but when her sister didn't apologize, she sighed dramatically, "Oh, fine."

"Eliza, stay at the border there to prevent them from squeezing by and Martha, go make Prudence apple juice and set out mother's food" Caroline ordered to make a strategy that would keep all parties happy and send the pigs into the pen. Prudence chuckled to her take charge attitude and stood up to head back inside to make the girls something to eat. Whenever they dropped by, they cleaned, organized, and fed anything in their wake. Caroline winked at the frowning brunette to joke lightly, "I don't want you soiling your pretty dress."

Martha scoffed for a moment but realized her sister was giving her an excuse. As different as they were, she accepted her concern and nodded. She and Caroline would never agree on their choice of attire or even their way of life but they were still sisters. She followed Prudence to make sure the older woman didn't stress until Warren returned home.

Caroline walked forward into the area of the farm dedicated to the pigs and hens as the horse stable lay further ahead to the right. The garden rested on the left side of the chicken coop and Ratonhnhaké:ton was trying to keep them away from the nooks and crannies of the fencing. Elizabeth whistled their arrival to their poor friend and took notice of Alice cupping her hands to relocate any curious chicks that lingered too close to the pigs by the chicken wire fence. Pigs were heavy and strong so they could easily tear through and harm the fowl.

"Sisters!" Alice called out cheerfully and waved her handy broom, which was now drying after cleaning chicken poop. Still, she managed to keep a smile on her face.

Caroline hadn't spoken to Ratonhnhaké:ton since that evening at Myriam's but as much as it pained her to call an end to their relationship, she hoped to keep him as a friend. The assassin faltered in his step as he met her gaze and it allowed one of the pigs to waddle by with a triumphant oink. It broke him away from that spell and he sighed with dismay at losing one of the pigs that was close to going inside. He'd managed to get one in and now, he was wrangling the other two.

"We'll make sure they don't head past the pen" Caroline informed him carefully as the pudgy pink swine squealed to his chase. Elizabeth muffled a laugh to their scurrying as they defied his orders and he wasn't strong enough to lift one of them on his own. Pointing to his attire, she mentioned nonchalantly, "You might want to store whatever items you don't want dust or mud on."

He glanced at her with confusion to why he'd become dirty chasing a simple animal and asked, "Why would I-"

Just then, one of the muddy pigs decided to brush past him and it smeared the back of his white coat with fresh mud. Ratonhnhaké:ton withheld a sigh because he wasn't going to be doing laundry until the end of the week and sent the pig in question a glare for his insult. The pig scuttled past him towards Elizabeth but the girl simply swatted its plump side with her hands, uncaring to having dirty hands. Caroline glanced at her in question and she shrugged to reason innocently, "Look at it! It's so plump that it waddles, how am I not supposed to touch it?"

Ratonhnhaké:ton removed his bow and quiver to rest them in the crook of a branching tree. If he damaged his bow, it would take weeks to craft another in its likeness. He removed his coat to drape it over his weapons to keep them clean and stepped back into the corralling game. Together, the three managed to make a decent blockade as Caroline scared the two back to him and Elizabeth's oinking puzzled the animals too much that they didn't tread near her. Alice, who was being protected by her, laughed to her sister's sounds as she kept the chickens safe.

One did attempt to get close to Alice but a protective rooster flared its large wings to keep it at bay. Ratonhnhaké:ton slid in between them to shoo it back to the pen and a little annoyance filtered into his voice, "Not there..."

He waved his arms forward and skirted around the pig's left side to block it from moving away. Digging his feet into the ground, he expected to nudge the pig to the right where the open pen was located. Instead, it scuttled into the pen in surprise to the fast man and he declared to the girls, "Faster than they look."

Caroline laughed into her hands at seeing his puzzled look and how easily they had frazzled him. He was such a calm and collected man with every action but now, he appeared very laidback and casual with his tone and lack of intimidating attire. From across the small field, he heard her laugh which caused him to turn in her direction. She waved her hands innocently to show it wasn't meant to be insulting and reasoned, "I've never heard this much emotion in your voice before."

When the last pig, the defiant muddy one, decided to release its bowels beside him . . . he decided he'd never have pigs on his own land one day. That was a very smart pig to protest in the only manner that it could but Ratonhnhaké:ton was determined to get him.

He grumbled under his breath as he met the stubborn brown eyes of the swine and stated with exasperation, "The things I do for this place."

The sisters laughed because his face and eyes were another story entirely as the pig became entertaining. Ratonhnhaké:ton was accustomed to chasing dangerous people or animals but innocent livestock pinned a laidback flair on the use of his reflexes. He stayed close to the pig to prevent it from roaming where it wished and soon enough, the pig began to follow his commands.

"Yes!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton corralled the last pig inside despite its stubbornness to return to the yard. He closed the pen quickly with a satisfying sigh and locked it to ensure they didn't escape, especially that muddy one. A faint smile of success crossed his lips when he heard the last pig oink in defiance to being inside again. They would wander around tomorrow but the pen offered plenty of space for the five pigs to frolic.

The girls clapped to his accomplishment which made the situation more hilarious than it should have been. He never earned a pat on the back for killing a Templar but wrangling a stubborn pig garnered clapping? This could only happen at home among his true friends and Caroline raised a fist in triumph to call out, "The pig revolt of 1775 has been contained!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton pointed to the chickens that were clucking happily around Alice and he joked lightly, "We might have to watch out for allied chicken forces."

Alice shook her head quickly and pointed to the little chicks to disagree, "Oh no, they're gentle and fluffy."

Her sisters corrected her worries by informing her that it was a joke and she blushed sheepishly. He had been quite similar to Alice when it came to joking years ago and nowadays, he tried his best to understand colonial humor. Elizabeth and Alice scampered over to gaze at the oinking pigs, imitating them with a laugh.

Martha and Prudence emerged from the rear of the home, the former carrying a basket full of food. Using the flat tree stump that served as a makeshift table, she removed a blue checkered tablecloth from the basket to drape it over the wood. She began to set out food with calculated organization that had Caroline wincing but Prudence simply chuckled to the numerous help in her household.

The farmer smiled widely to her unofficial pig herder and gratefully said, "Thank you, Connor. I could never have managed that."

"True, it took three non-farmers" Elizabeth piped up cheekily and raised her dusty hands, prompting Martha to wrinkle her nose in disdain. The shorter redhead simply wiggled her nose to oink like a pig to annoy her further. If she could do it outside where her mother couldn't see, she'd seize the opportunity.

Ratonhnhaké:ton ignored the amusing sisterly banter and nodded politely to Prudence, "It was my pleasure. Are you well?"

"I am and I couldn't be happier" Prudence beamed with pride to how her life had changed in under five years. She didn't have to live in fear and could have a home to call her own without worrying about bringing children into an unfair world. Gazing at the faces of her young neighbors, whom she could call friends, she spoke frankly, "Warren and I have been waiting a long time for this. And if truth be told, we could not dream of a better place to raise our family."

Prudence handed him a large clean cloth that she'd brought to help him clean up and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry about the liveliness of the pigs."

"It's no problem" he dismissed easily since he hadn't encountered an amusing nemesis like the pigs. His clothes would have to be washed again, which the robes took forever to dry, but the dirty work was worth spending time with his friends.

Caroline handed him a pink handkerchief and his brow furrowed with concern to ask, "I'm not that dirty. . . am I?"

"I'm not one to complain on the rugged look-" she began slyly with a mischievous smirk but he grabbed it to wipe his face. He didn't want to appear messy in front of the women and tried not to frown from embarrassment. Without a reflective surface around, he'd no idea how he looked and with Caroline standing beside him, he wanted to appear confident.

To her, the removal of the white-blue coat shed a more casual light on him but his physique remained intimidating nonetheless. She had to snap her eyes away from that alluring form before her mind decided to swoon in on itself. Scoffing in mock disappointment, she crossed her arms over her chest and muttered, "Spoilsport."

She deadpanned a second later when he innocently dotted mud on the tip of her nose. Separating friendship from affection would not be easy but she'd give it a shot. The warm look in his light brown eyes caused that bothersome flutter in her heart and she brushed him away to chuckle, "Grab your weapons before a racoon decides to make off with your quiver."

Elizabeth ran a hand down her forehead in disbelief as she watched the two and sighed with exasperation, "How these two aren't courting defies the universe."

"Give it time" Martha stated quietly as she set out plates to have a quick brunch for the others. Elizabeth's head snapped in her direction with shock written in her eyes since she'd been the number one protestor on the two courting. When had she changed her tune? Why? Before she demanded answers to sate her curiosity, the brunette ordered quickly, "Bring a bucket of water so everyone can wash their hands."

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3 September 1775

Ratonhnhaké:ton had promised to meet up with Norris to check on his progress on what was now dubbed Project Bullseye. Otherwise, the two would be prone to having Norris' curiosities discovered. From the last time he'd left him, he suggested that Norris try different flower arrangements and hoped one of them had worked.

He stepped into the small homestead that Norris had claimed in the south end of Davenport and stopped in midstride. Despite how large the forest surrounding Davenport could be, he managed to run into Caroline when he least expected it. While Norris sat in a chair with a soft brush and a bucket of soapy water to clean mined ore, Caroline sat on the porch step with Samuel, Alice, and Elizabeth at her side. Compared to their last meeting at Prudence's home, Caroline was dressed in a simple yellow dress with a blue kerchief draped over her shoulders to accentuate the feminine look. It reminded him of Mrs. Burnett's attire and assumed she'd had a hand in designing her daughter's clothes. Her attire matched Alice's usual blue dress while Elizabeth wore what looked like a brown dress, but it also could've been dusty from her frolicking. Samuel was the only one of the siblings in male attire this time as he dumped small pieces of oar into a bucket of soapy water.

"Connor!"

He would never grow tired of the siblings calling out his name and their perky wave of the hand in welcome. Alice was setting the drying ore pieces on the left side of the porch while Elizabeth was more focused on admiring the shiny ore. Caroline, who had been dry brushing a rocky piece that fit in both hands, instantly met his gaze as he approached them. No matter what time of day it was, those bright blue eyes reminded him of the azure sky and he could see the guardedness from June was long gone.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously as he watched all of them work alongside Norris. The miner was glad for their help because one man alone in a mine was hard work when it took dozens to mine efficiently. Maybe one day, he could form a mining company but for now, he'd work little by little to get there.

Samuel lifted a sudsy piece that he was scrubbing in the bucket and declared jovially, "Playing miner!"

"No explosions, I hope?" he joked lightly with a faint smile to the cheerful children and they shook their heads. Good. They were always eager to learn from Norris and experience his explosions, hoping they hadn't escaped Caroline's watchful eye. Now that she was back, he had backed off on babysitting the trio whenever Norris took them out on a mining adventure.

Caroline turned to her little siblings and narrowed her eyes suspiciously to ask, "What's this about explosions?"

What had they been up to while she'd been gone? Had they decided to become little risktakers too? Elizabeth quickly placed a hand over both Samuel's and Alice's mouth to answer innocently with a plastered smile, "Nothing! We've been good this whole time."

The eldest Burnett mumbled a skeptical 'mm-hmm' under her breath and glanced at Ratonhnhaké:ton with amusement. Her eyes clearly read that she required insight to their hijinks and the parental stare shared between them had her siblings groaning with disappointment. In their eyes, nothing was secret between the two. Caroline lowered her gaze to the large ore piece in her hands and explained, "I brought Norris' little helpers to clean the ore for the day so it's ready to be sent to Boston."

"I promise to bring back peppermint candy" Norris told the trio since he always brought them a trinket from the city as a reward for their help. The children did it for fun and exploring the outdoors but his vow increased their pace. Quickly, the miner raised his hands with a jovial loud laugh to remind, "Wait, wait, I'm not leaving today!"

Caroline muffled a laugh behind her hand and ruffled Samuel's hair to halt his passionate display of washing rocks. If he came home sore, their mother wouldn't allow him to return for a while. Elizabeth already appeared like she'd fallen into a mud pit, which hilariously enough, she had, so she wasn't looking to add more trouble for her mother. Alice, as always, was her blessing in disguise because she followed her obediently.

"What brings you by old Norris' château?" the miner joked peppily with a bright smile aimed at his best friend. He dried his hands quickly to properly greet his friend with a handshake and Ratonhnhaké:ton returned it.

"We should put that on a wooden plaque" Elizabeth declared with a witty grin and began to pat Caroline's backside for attention. The older redhead batted her away with a laugh before enveloping her into a one-armed hug around her neck. She waved her right hand dramatically and pretended to be in distress as she exclaimed, "Oh no, she's trapped me!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton averted his gaze from Norris to Caroline as she wrestled with Elizabeth. Her humble attire struck up old memories from their summers together and now that her skin had healed from the sun's damage, her porcelain skin was radiant. Her shaggy hair had grown out and she braided the bangs portion across her scalp to tuck it behind her ear. Slowly, she was becoming the old Caroline he'd known and he wished to brush his fingers through her auburn hair.

She looks beautiful, he thought with fondness and melancholy to where they currently stood. It was of their own making and his choice but there were times when he questioned himself. He was aware that her sentiments hadn't changed and at moments like this, he wished to reciprocate, I wonder how she would look if I threaded feathers into her braid.

His brief daydream was broken into by Norris warily poking his left shoulder and Ratonhnhaké:ton blinked rapidly. He really needed to stop his boyish fantasies, he wasn't sixteen winters old anymore. Speaking quickly, he informed Norris about seeking an update on the courting front and his friend shook his head with disappointment on his face, "Bad news. She did not like any of the flowers. She tossed them aside!"

"But Prudence was certain" Ratonhnhaké:ton insisted since she was young enough to relate to Myriam as a married woman. He'd even given Caroline flowers and she'd loved them. It appeared that Project Bullseye would require them to think outside the box.

Norris sighed with disillusion as his shoulders slumped and he declared wistfully, "I knew she was not the type for flowers. I should've known. . . mainly because I thought they were nice."

They heard a muffled giggle that soon turned into a deliberate cough to hide it.

Caroline bit her lower lip to prevent the laugh from spilling through and sympathized with Norris. More importantly, she agreed with his side of not getting flowers. Although the two tried their best, the secret was quietly slipping out of the bag because Norris enjoyed Myriam's company. Whenever their town had socials at Mile's End, the two were always chatting. It played in their favor that the township was small or gossip would burn like wildfire if Davenport was larger. Ratonhnhaké:ton frowned slightly while Norris chuckled awkwardly at seeing Caroline's sly grin aimed right at them.

"Next time, you should use your indoor voice inside the house" she teased gently since she'd simply been sitting and easily heard it all. She blamed it on Duncan's lessons on focusing on every distinct noise to always be environmentally aware. Before her siblings decided to become curious, she grabbed another bucket full of filthy ore rocks and placed it on the porch. That would keep them occupied and as they dug their small hands in there, she turned around to approach the secretive duo. Smoothing out her dress to rid it of dirt debris, she waved her free hand and assured quietly, "Don't worry, I've known since July."

"You had barely arrived for a month" Ratonhnhaké:ton pointed out skeptically to her intuitiveness and she shrugged nonchalantly. The impish grin she sent his way was both bothersome and alluring to his ego.

"I learn quickly" she reasoned simply since Burnetts were born like sponges to learn their craft. At least, that's what her father said and she believed it. Otherwise, her body would be floating somewhere between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf. Placing a hand on her chest, she pointed out her more accurate reason for detecting it, "Besides, Norris' lovestruck symptoms are pretty reflective of my own."

She swore Norris' blue-gray eyes glittered in astonishment and he gasped, "You're in love too?"

"No, Norris" Caroline shut that thought down instantly before he jumped all over the place in joy. She loved becoming fast friends with Norris and Myriam but that was one secret she'd keep guarded a little while longer. Her cheeks had never worked harder in suppressing a blush since she was standing next to the only person she'd courted and stated firmly, "Not even close."

She'd keep her love life to herself, thank you.

Ratonhnhaké:ton, on the other hand, was beginning to become confused by the whole conversation. How was he supposed to survive being in Caroline's vicinity when talks like this erupted? He didn't expect her to completely reject the idea but if her tearful admission before he rejected her was considered . . . he really hoped he wasn't the wrong person for Norris to confide in, given his romantic record.

I hope I'm not doomed to repeat the same history as my parents, he thought pitifully because he wanted her as a friend and not someone who hated him. Well, she's not a Templar so that's a plus.

Caroline crossed her arms to relay her information to help her friend on his quest of romance, "I've known her for two months and even I could've guessed that flowers was a no. She comes from a hunting family so unless you're giving her an herb garden to plant, flowers are of no interest to her."

"I will uncover this mystery myself, Norris" Ratonhnhaké:ton declared firmly to put the question to rest so they could move on from it. Guessing would lead them nowhere so he would go directly to the source to investigate himself.

Caroline furrowed her brow with bewilderment to his serious tone over a little question of common interest and murmured flatly, "It's. . .not really that great of a mystery-"

He shot her a warning glare for trying to seize the quest from him and she sighed to relent. If it made him happy and it created a new couple, instead of mortified humiliation, she'd give him that. She punched a fist into the air to boost their morale and proclaimed, "Mystery Solvers, Connor and Norris- Go!"

Norris' eyes darted between the serious native and the peppy ex-sailor, noting his odd pick in friends. Was Myriam certain these two should court? He wasn't a matchmaker but his Mohawk friend could be intense while his Scottish buddy was more free-spirited. Then again, they sported a variety of weapons and shared a mutual love for the sea. He and Myriam were also opposites in personality so if he could make it, he'd provide the same aid for his friends.

He crossed his arms nervously as he gazed between both friends and nodded to allow the surveillance, warning quickly, "All right but please don't let her see you. She will think I'm bizarre."

Caroline clasped his right shoulder and instead of hearing awe inspiring words, she burst his bubble with reality, "No, she'll think you're both bizarre."

"What choice does he have?" Ratonhnhaké:ton questioned since they were grasping at air at this point. Their first gift had not been well received and conversation wasn't advancing anything for poor Norris. They needed to provide a good gift before too many errors chased her away.

She shrugged simply before reasoning with the logic that had ensnared her to him, "Impress her with mutual respect or have her think he's bizarre? Take your pick."

Ratonhnhaké:ton frowned lightly when her outrageously cheeky smile didn't disappear. He could see where Elizabeth drew her sarcasm from. She made it endearingly hard to keep a stoic face and he muttered flatly, "That wasn't helpful."

Caroline burst his bubble once more by scoring another point when she stated simply, "It was rational. I never said it would help."

Norris chuckled awkwardly at noting their staring match, noting how Caroline didn't back down while he would've been cowering. The native man held an intense stare that doubled with his sharp light brown eyes but it only kept adding a humorous glint in Caroline's. Was this what Myriam called their nonverbal flirting? Despite what he assumed was tension between both, Caroline surprised them by smiling faintly, "Good luck, Inspector Connor."

Ratonhnhaké:ton raised a reprimanding finger but when he gazed at her twinkling eyes, the reply died on his lips. No, he was not going to win against her witty comeback this afternoon at all. Lowering his hand, he nodded in farewell to begin travelingto Myriam's home up north in hopes of finding a suitable gift. If she saw him, she would become suspicious so he would have to use the utmost of stealth.

"Where's he going?" Elizabeth demanded from her sister and pointed to the retreating back of their friend. He'd just arrived! Why was he leaving so quickly without engaging them in banter?

Caroline crossed her arms and shook her head to the flickers of impatience and bluntness in Ratonhnhaké:ton. It was most often seen when he and Achilles disagreed on who knows what but it seemed that little seed was growing. Sighing under her breath, she met Norris' nervous gaze and muttered, "Hopefully, not to be shot by Bullseye."

Ratonhnhaké:ton returned over an hour later to find Norris storing his freshly cleaned ore in his shed and the Burnetts were gone. The crickets of the evening had begun their song and he kept a lookout for any random spiders that were weaving their nightly web. He imitated an owl's call to let his friend know he'd returned and Norris turned around with an awkward smile. He figured he was worried how everything went and watched his hands shake as he closed the shed doors for the night.

"Connor, I-"

They were interrupted by the return call of an owl and both men stared at each other awkwardly. Well, that was randomly unexpected. Ratonhnhaké:ton hoped to his great ancestors that it wasn't a mating call and began detailing his findings, "Norris, I looked around her camp and it seems she needs a new hunting knife. The one she is using has seen better days."

"Ah oui?" he asked with renewed delight and felt more confident with the suggestion. She wasn't the feminine type at all like city women and was more practical with her way of living. He clapped his hands with excitement to being back on the right path and nodded with optimism, "That seems more right for her . . . I'll think on it. Merci!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded with accomplishment as they moved forward with a new plan. With that completed, he could head to the manor for the night and finish his studies. Hopefully, Achilles would be asleep since he liked to turn in early and he could avoid any random test questions. As he turned to leave Norris' homestead, the miner spoke up, "Caroline's the one you told me about, isn't she?"

His entire frame tensed to hearing that since he'd kept his old relationship secret and had never mentioned her by name. Was he being transparent now that she was home? He kept every internal conflict to himself and handled it accordingly. Caroline had denied any association to him in the romantic sense and he would do the same. He was a private individual with his own matters and kept a steady voice as he replied, "No, why would you assume that?"

Norris' answer didn't help in the slightest when he stated bluntly, "You haven't stopped staring at her."

Damn.

Turning around, he faced the curious Norris but denied everything about her by stating firmly, "She's only a friend, Norris."

"All right, but if you ever need a friendly ear, I'm here" the miner offered kindly because he never hesitated to help him and he'd do the same. If there was someone that he cared for, he would make sure they could be happy together.

Ratonhnhaké:ton, however, was the type to seek answers himself but thanked him nonetheless, "Merci."

---

1 December 1775

Winter had arrived in Davenport and the gentle snowfall created a white blanket around all of Davenport. Caroline was more than happy to make snow angels with her sisters just like they had when they were little. Watching the crystalline condensation on their windows, Caroline could spend hours watching the snowfall. A new year was on the horizon and she hoped life would continue peacefully as the conflict for independence grew in the cities.

Today, Caroline had requested the aid of Ratonhnhaké:ton in hunting the mightiest of game. . .

"Mink?"

Ratonhnhaké:ton couldn't believe his ears and blurted again with absolute confusion, "Mink?"

A light shower of snow drifted through the dark canopies above them as the puffy white shrouded the azure sky. The weather was manageable but the wind was icy cold as he saw his breath with every exhale. Along with his assassin's attire, he'd added a wolf pelt around his shoulders for extra warmth while Caroline sported a rabbit fur hat and a wool scarf around her neck as she dressed in her hunting attire. Snowflakes had already collected on their heads as they stood within the eastern end of Davenport where most creeks and rivers were located.

"Yes, the cute little critters that go into water" she confirmed with a peppy smile and imitated the swimming mink with her hands. Samuel had enjoyed watching them in the summer but never treaded close out of fear that they'd shoot out of the water to maul him.

"Either I'm getting senile or your game ranking is. . ." he began hesitantly as hints of his hotheadedness filtered out since the temperature was colder now that winter had arrived. Snowfall would become heavy within hours to bury home under a wall of snow as well so hunting for small game was not ideal for him. He didn't see it as a worthy endeavor and wondered why Caroline was out here in the first place.

Caroline grit her teeth to his incredulous expression and remembered that she'd asked him to come there. He'd done her the favor of meeting her there and hearing her request so she couldn't ask for more. There were two reasons for her chosen game but she didn't want an unhappy man at her side, leading her to sigh with apology, "Never mind. I'll take care of it myself."

She'd promised Norris that she'd help him with Myriam's gift for Christmas and figured she'd appreciate a throw for winter. Apparently, Ratonhnhaké:ton had helped him find the next gift for her but they lacked a trusty smith to chisel and create the item. Well, one that wouldn't discriminate against both men, anyway. In the meantime, she'd add another gift for Norris while he searched for the smith. Being in the east and away from their homes, she didn't want her new friend to freeze since he lacked hunting skills. With Ratonhnhaké:ton already aiding Norris with his romance game, she figured he'd join her quest but it appeared she was wrong.

"Apologies for wasting your time" she uttered quickly before turning left to slide down a snowy embankment. Every creek and river had frozen to resemble icy streets but extreme care had to be taken around them. Looks were deceiving during winter and thin ice could crack within seconds to plunge you into icy waters and a watery grave.

She brushed off snow from her attire as the piling snow buried her ankles. Testing the ground with a sweep of her foot to ensure that it was stable ground and not the shore of a creek, she grinned with success to head northeast. Ratonhnhaké:ton wasn't about to let her wander the snowy wilderness alone and quickly followed, graceful in his steps and barely leaving footprints.

Just like in North Carolina, she proved to be faster than he anticipated and caught hints of brown from her attire within the white trees. She blended easily into her environment as the fur reminded her of a deer prowling about but using his special sight, detected her footprints and her white form soon followed.

What happened to the days when I led the hunts?, he thought with a mix of admiration and disbelief as he watched her fire one of her pistols. With the mink being small, he assumed that she didn't want to risk using a rifle. He also didn't miss her fascination with pistols since returning home and her handiness with them were beginning to rival his.

She darted out of his sight within the trees once more and he picked up his pace, uncaring to leaving footsteps this time. He was home and nobody was going to be out here with the intent to harm them. If so, he pitied them. Brushing the ticklish snow from his cheeks, he found Caroline securing a dead mink into her leather satchel.

"Caroline, stop" he ordered swiftly as he bounded up to her to catch his breath, detesting the piercing coldness of the air in his lungs. Being born in the winter, he was not a fan of it at all as it stung his skin and caused most of the wildlife to slumber until spring. Caroline merely leaned down to wipe her hands clean in the snow, leaving a faint pink smear. His gaze dropped to her satchel and he pointed to it to ask with baffled curiosity, "Why mink?"

"Norris" she answered simply with a shrug, patting her catch with a smile.

She was out there because of Norris? Why? Confusion filtered into his expression but assumed Caroline had a decent reason for this. At least, he hoped so because she tended to take risks like himself. He couldn't help but aim a sharp look for not being informed in the first place and murmured, "Mentioning that would've helped."

"Must other friends be involved before you interact with me?" she asked dryly as she leaned back against a tree, crossing her arms to gaze at him. It wasn't the friendly look he'd seen earlier as her eyes resembled a frigid iceberg. Wait, was he in trouble? Caroline uttered a sigh under her breath before pointing out grimly, "I'm not a plague simply because we're not together."

Oh.

His eyes darted away from hers as he tried to control his voice to deny, "That's not. . ."

Her eyes softened at seeing his withdrawal, unable to bring herself to argue with him, and suggested softly, "Don't bottle your emotions or you'll only torment yourself-"

"I'm not" he retorted swiftly but she detected a hint of annoyance in his voice. Whether it was for her or himself, she didn't know. Still, acting like they were estranged friends wasn't working well in close quarters.

"Talk to me here, nobody is around for miles and you can admonish me all you want" she offered gently to provide undivided attention so he could vent. He wasn't the type to display an array of emotion but she knew it dwelled internally, in his mind and heart. If there was any pain associated with her, she wanted to pry it out and destroy it herself.

Ratonhnhaké:ton refused to follow her suggestion because purging his emotions wouldn't do a world of good. If anything, it could damage them further. He was the type to heal on his own in private without anyone meddling in his affairs. Besides, they were here for Norris' minks, weren't they?

Caroline attempted the route of amateurish mind reading when he stayed silent and pointed out, "You're not disappointed that the one who claimed to love you just left without a goodbye? Didn't you deserve better than that? Isn't there anger for not being trusted enough with my plans? I'd rather have you yell at me than bear that burden alone because it shouldn't be yours to bear. You weren't at fault for any of it."

He wanted to deflect every question by showing no discernable emotion but it was hard. Yes, he felt rejected for being left behind and having to search for her. There hadn't been anger but more of disillusion and disappointment as she shattered the kind selfless image he'd built of her in his heart. He felt foolish for delving into a relationship he felt would lead somewhere and being cast aside in the end. All he could manage to bring to surface and admit was a stern, "Of course I'm disappointed in you but it changes nothing, we're both at home now where we should be."

"We changed because of what I did and I'm sorry" she sighed with regret to her reckless action but back then, it was the only option she had. He'd denied her entry to the Aquila and without him and Amelia, she felt lost without a purpose. She gained her sense of independence but tearing out his heart wasn't what she wanted. Now, she had to mend that and remind him none of it was his fault.

"I resent opening my heart to you but I understand why you left" Ratonhnhaké:ton admitted quietly because this was the first time they weren't surrounded by her family or their friends. They hadn't had a chance to fully divulge their feelings but he wasn't the type to focus on that. For him, it was finding a way to heal it with closure. Despite her hurtful action, he grasped why she left because he was fully aware of her independent streak. She wasn't the type to sit back and allow destiny to control her, like himself, and he agreed with reluctance, "You hoped to find meaning, something which I also did when I left my own village, so I cannot blame you for that."

He hadn't met her gaze the whole time they had been speaking as he focused on the stark white snow to maintain a clear head. The coldness of winter dissipated any heated emotions that might've surfaced but he felt more abandoned than anything with Caroline. The strength in his voice waned as it lowered with sadness and it hurt to hear it when he finished despondently, "I wanted to be the one you confided in but in the end, you couldn't. I thought we were a team to survive in this harsh world together but you left me to bear it alone. How am I supposed to trust you after that, Caroline?"

Tears burned the inner corners of her eyes to the restrained emotion, knowing she was the direct cause, and replied weakly, "Rebuilding that broken trust day by day."

She relaxed by finally achieving the truth to those sealed thoughts, no matter how much it hurt to heart it. He'd denied feeling anger since reuniting and reaffirming it was great but she'd rather have that than resentment. His warm brown eyes were filled with disappointment when he offered her a brief glance and it was enough to drown her with shame.

"You need to release your own sense of guilt, Caroline" he advised carefully because his own actions also contributed to their fall. There had been many 'what if' scenarios that had run through his mind but in the end, the damage had been done and they were both back home. Caroline's face was reluctant to believe his words and he reminded, "Everyone accepted your return because they care for you. Wounds heal but if you bury yourself in shame, it'll scar."

"You're the one that I carry the most guilt for" she whispered sullenly because he'd been her partner and like he said, she'd abandoned him. She discarded every promise she'd made and that was akin to tearing out someone's heart in her book. His life hadn't been easy up to this point and she was certain there were other events that had occurred that he hadn't fully admitted. Placing a hand over her heart, she was ashamed to have hurt the one piece of him she promised to protect and her voice shook, "I didn't want to add another scar in your life-"

"You haven't tried to kill me, Caroline, so we'll be fine" he interjected to soothe her turmoil because he resented people trying to kill him rather than someone escaping to find meaning in their life. She was remorseful for her actions and that spoke more than a woman who refused to acknowledge the damage she'd dealt. He was extremely careful with who he trusted, refusing to have anyone he didn't know lay a finger on him, and Caroline had been the only one he allowed to breach his heart. Her willingness to rebuild what she'd ruined was an honorable effort but he wouldn't let his guard down easily this time. Raising his head to the cloudy sky, he noticed the snowfall was slowly increasing and informed, "Let's get Norris' mink."

She rubbed her eyes hastily to blink away her tears and nodded with determination. They were small mammals in comparison to racoons or beavers so she'd taken a different attempt at catching them. They were in a secluded tree area but within a short distance, there was a large frozen river where they normally gathered for summer. With winter in full swing, their burrows were concealed by snowfall but she'd planned in advance. Smiling with excitement at her hunting partner, she explained the current situation, "A few days ago, I placed traps on both sides of the frozen river that's up ahead. I figure my lighter frame can head over the ice to the other side and you can grab the other up north?"

Wiping snow from her eyelashes as they tickled, she added in quickly, "Release any little minks, pregnant females, or those with young."

Ratonhnhaké:ton nodded with agreement as they approached the frozen river, a flat surface shining deceptively as it stretched north towards the cove. Caroline adjusted her scarf to cover her ears as the wind began to pierce her skin like needles and informed, "Wait for me here once you're finished."

With that said, the two separated to tackle both sides of the river for the furry mink. Ratonhnhaké:ton simply followed the path of the river, breaking into a run to fetch the traps. The darker metal was easy to see, for him at least, as the white snow contrasted greatly against the landscape. He could only wonder how and why Norris decided to use mink as a gift. Also, why had he not contacted him first before Caroline?

Caroline rubbed her half-gloved hands for warmth as the wool proved inferior to mother nature's wrath. The faster she found the mink, the sooner she could head home and collapse next to their fireplace. True, she could also resume the hunt on a later date but she sought to be in the frigid cold only once. Carefully, she tested the ice with one foot first before placing her entire weight on the frozen river. Glancing down, the river resembled a frozen road as snowy crystals glittered innocently but she knew what lurked in those frigid depths.

Slowly, she made her way across the frozen river while her footsteps crunching over fresh snow were the only sound that echoed. The forest was tranquil this winter and she missed the comforting sounds of birds chirping, looking across the opposite riverbank to find nothing but emptiness. Davenport was very isolated from the growing cities and this was the only place where she could truly be in complete silence. Ratonhnhaké:ton's words echoed in her head, jumbling together with every encounter they'd had since returning.

I will make everything up to you, she promised to regain that lost ground and rubbed her nose to make sure it hadn't gone numb. She could see her trap in the distance and placed her left hand on her brow to keep the snowfall from shrouding her sight.

"Boy, how do frontiersmen do this heading west?" she spoke to herself to occupy her time and comfort the nerves bundling in her stomach. The ice appeared thick under her shoes with no transparency but she didn't trust it. Ratonhnhaké:ton told her long ago that instinct never steered one wrong and she followed what it told her. She needed to open her trap, grab her yield, and get the heck outta there.

The wind picked up west along the river, pushing her forward with its strength as if she were a mere leaf. She wouldn't be tackling high winds and quickly picked up her pace to close the distance between her and the trap. Kneeling carefully, she kept her ears open for any faint cracking sounds and sighed in relief when nothing happened. She could see her traps had yielded two mink for a total of three, smiling with success to her catch. The winter coat of the mink was thicker and beautiful for keeping warm during winter, lasting several seasons if one took good care of the throw.

"Myriam's going to love it" she grinned triumphantly and could only imagine her face once Christmas arrived. Norris was modest in his demeanor but she encouraged him to be more assertive so no other man would compete with him. Time would tell for her miner friend.

Caroline grabbed the dead mink from the trap but as she shifted upright from her squat, the ice under her right leg suddenly cracked without warning to give way. Stable ground disappeared from underfoot and her leg sunk painfully beneath the freezing water. Her left leg bent from the sudden loss of balance and she lurched forward to correct it, hitting her left knee on the frozen ground. The wind was knocked out of her as she struck the ice hard and cursed under her breath.

"You've got to be kidding me!" she yelled with aggravation because everything had gone smoothly until then. It figures her luck decided to turn against her but she kept an iron grip on her mink. If this was nature's revenge, she was going to fight tooth and nail- well, more nail considering the ice.

Her fingers dug into the freezing ice for a firm grip to pull her leg free and with her left hand free, fiddled for her knife. She released an indignant cry when she realized Ruth was strapped to her right side instead of behind her back. This was the last time she'd wear a basic leather belt for hunting because anything could happen in the wild. Passing her dead mink over to her left hand, she twisted onto her left side so she could reach into the freezing water to retrieve her knife. Unsheathing Ruth before her fingers became painfully numb, she stabbed it into the ice in front of her to use it as leverage to lift herself.

"C'mon, Ruthie, you can do it!" she encouraged both herself and her handy knife as the slippery ice refused to let her find a grip. She forced her body to keep her weight on its left side to prevent more ice from cracking on the right. Her right leg felt like multiples knives were stabbing it as the cold river was unrelenting in trapping her.

Ratonhnhaké:ton had made quick work of Caroline's trap as his speed and the lack of ice in his way made his target an easy find. He'd been on his way to their meeting spot when he heard Caroline's frantic yelling, and quickly ran to the frozen riverbank to investigate. Had she encountered a hibernating bear? A hungry wolf? A mad beaver?

He arrived at the riverbank in record time and his eyes widened at seeing Caroline had collapsed on the frozen river. Had she fallen and hurt herself? Similar to her, he took careful steps since his body was heavier than her leaner form. As he approached her, he saw the entire picture as he realized the ice had cracked open under her.

"Caroline!"

Her head lifted to the sound of her name and she smiled with relief to his arrival, calling out in alarm, "Connor, I- oh, shit!"

The idea of maintaining balance backfired horribly as the ice under her left leg began to cave in on itself. She could hear the groaning of the cracking ice and tried not to panic because that would land her in even colder water. Using all of her strength, she lifted her right hip out of the water but the momentum and force used allowed the ice to fully give way. Ratonhnhaké:ton barely reached her when she yelped with fear as both her legs plunged into the freezing water and kicked them to maintain afloat. The frigid water penetrated through all her layers of clothing, weighing her down more as it threatened to yank her down to her stomach.

Unlike Caroline, who was still learning her way to mastering a hunt, Ratonhnhaké:ton already exceeded her in experience. He'd dealt with problems in the ice and his own body was honed to be a weapon itself. Picking up his pace, he used one of his rope darts to embed it into the ice closest to the riverbank ahead of them as an anchor. His steps were light and calculated as he approached Caroline with his hands already tying a circle in the rope to throw it over her shoulders to serve as a buoy. Her left hand released the knife to grasp the rope, allowing it to slide over her torso diagonally, and he ordered swiftly, "Let go of Ruth."

Trusting him like she always had, she retrieved the buried knife from the ice with a sharp yank. She knew once she lost that hold, she'd plunge into the dark water and felt herself falling backwards. Ratonhnhaké:ton leaned down in one fell swoop to grasp the back of her leather belt and used all his strength to lift her out of the water. She wasn't a bear nor the heaviest person he'd lifted off the ground but his swiftness surprised him as well.

"Holy sh-"

"Caroline!"

Her blue eyes opened wide with disbelief to his sheer strength as he managed to pull her out like a simple fish. His arms wrapped around her waist to pull her up and away from the ice, freeing her legs. He wasn't eager to test the rigidity of the ice and tugged Caroline to the other side of the riverbank while using the rope from the dart as extra support to their combined weight. She tried her best to regain her footing but the water had numbed her right leg completely and her left was weak to barely support her weight to stand.

She despised being useless in a dangerous moment like this, feeling like a rag doll, and apologized with humiliation, "I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong" he replied tightly as he finished the last steps to the frozen shore, surpassing the buried dart he'd thrown. Even with her clothes adding extra weight, she didn't compare to a deer in weight which he easily flung over one shoulder. If she thought he was having trouble bearing her weight, she was wrong. However, he was starting to notice that she swore just as bad as his own sailors which was oddly amusing.

Arriving on the riverbank, which was not as slippery, he began to set Caroline down but overestimated the numbness of her legs. She fell like a sack of potatoes and brought him tumbling along for the ride as well, collapsing together into a plush snowy knoll. Both breathed rapidly to calm down from the stressful moment because frozen water could kill in minutes. Caroline had almost become an icicle in her quest for a simple gift and if he hadn't arrived in time, she didn't want to think about it. Although her leg felt horrible pin pricks as they slowly regained their full sensation, Caroline raised the dead mink over their heads and declared tiredly, "Got . . . the mink."

Snowflakes drifted onto their bodies as Ratonhnhaké:ton was wedged between the comfortable snow and Caroline's half-frozen form. Had they really gone through that for a gift? Then again, he'd climbed a towering cliff for flowers and crept into another friend's homestead. He chuckled softly to the mess they'd fallen into for a couple of small mammals and rested his head against the snowbank, his soft laugh echoing in the silent woods.

Caroline froze for a moment, not from the lingering wetness on her lower body, but to hearing the rare sound. When his chest reverberated against her back as he continued to laugh, she realized that she wasn't hallucinating. It was contagious as the soft pitch sounded so innocent coming from a man like Ratonhnhaké:ton and soon, she joined him as well. She was sure they scared off any curious rabbits wandering about and gazed at the treetops overhead to ask, "You ever wonder how we manage to get into such crazy hijinks?"

We're helpful people, he thought to the simplest answer because they were always ready to lend a hand. Unfortunately, it tended to backfire in certain situations like this.

"Bravery?" he supplied with a more impressive alternative because his list of risk-taking ventures was now becoming a novel. With Caroline in tow, it was slowly growing because they'd already killed thieves twice, almost got run over by her newest horse during battle, and he'd saved her from icy waters. Shaking his head, it stirred more laughter from Caroline and he muttered flatly, "Norris should handle the rest from now on."

Oh boy, we might be in for a long haul, she thought amusingly to Norris' uncertainty in the courting game.

"Thank you" she sighed softly with a fond smile to his protective nature over anyone in need. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have a home, life experience, and probably a life based on her risky adventures. He was a guardian for those down on their luck or with no voice in society, angling her head to the left to peer up at him. His serene gaze, however, was focused on the puffy white clouds overhead and she continued, "For helping our friends. For saving me. For tolerating all this crazy sh-"

"Language!" he chastised quickly as if the forest was more than ready to shush them for cussing. She burst into laughter to the dismayed look on his face since they'd both been proper children growing up and he was the ideal poster boy. While she fell into a fit of giggles to his propriety, he ignored the sound to maintain control of situation and informed through gritted teeth, "We're not returning here."

Caroline nodded with agreement as she subdued her laughing fit, especially at seeing that he wouldn't join her this time. She moved to place her new catch in her satchel when she realized they were still in their huddled position in the snow. How was he not freezing from it? Then again, she was the one who took the dip in subfreezing temperatures. She hadn't moved away from him at all, not that she wanted to, but his arms were still around her waist. She figured the tense moment of running away from the frozen river and surviving it slipped his mind. She cleared her throat awkwardly to bring it up and suggested meekly, "You can let go now."

Ratonhnhaké:ton cursed his subconscious because his focus had been to keep her safe. He released her abruptly to appear nonchalant about that error and quickly moved to stand up, leaving her to shake her head with amusement. He was damningly adorable when he was caught in a social faux pas and finally felt warm blood surface in her cheeks. Packing away her mink, she wiggled her feet to ensure she could move them and pushed herself to stand. Her arms resembled a windmill as she tried to find her balance but he grasped her left arm to provide support for her.

She reciprocated the action for further stability because she didn't want to fall flat on her face. That would be enough mortified embarrassment to evade him for several months. He pointed downstream to where the river normally emptied during summer, past her own property westward, and he took the lead back home, "We will head to the bridge west of here."

Sounded fine and dandy to her.

---

25 December 1775

It had now become tradition to celebrate the holidays at Mile's End due to its larger space as the town kept growing. Everyone brought a contribution of food to make a potluck and soon enough, they had more food than people to feed. Luckily, with the Galloway and Burnett children, that food would dwindle and leftovers could be taken home to eat the next morning. Oliver was more than happy to supply ale and spirits to the adults and Corrine had made apple cider for the children.

Caroline and Amelia were happy to see their parents were no longer worried over them. They had even laughed when their father swept their mother off her feet to dance at the makeshift dance floor as Terry played his fiddle. Norris had been too shy to ask Myriam which led Caroline to grabbing both onto the floor to dance together. When the two finally began to dance and talk together, she slowly danced away in a sneaky sidestep until she stood next to the delicious dessert table.

She picked up a slice of blueberry pie onto her plate, uncaring to how easily it stained. Wearing a rose-colored dress would make it harder to remove but she could always slap on a nice brooch to hide it. Myriam and Norris noticed their third dance partner had silently left, pinpointing her at the table and waved for her to return. She made the easy and noticeable excuse of eating pie, rubbing her flat stomach to emphasize it. Inside her dress, however, her whalebone stay was silently protesting Caroline's appetite since she'd tightened it considerably to emphasize her waist. Her sisters had teased her endlessly that it was meant to catch a certain someone's attention but she'd flung a bonnet at them.

When her friends stopped trying to lure her back, she grinned with success to another covert matchmaking point. The joke, however, was on her when the two began grinning in her direction and she shot them a bewildered look. What was that about? She was in midbite and leaning comfortably against the rectangular table when she heard, "Caroline."

"Ah!"

His voice always sent shivers down her spine but this time, it also sent pie flying his way. She'd been entranced with Myriam and Norris' success that she didn't notice Ratonhnhaké:ton's approach. Her blue eyes widened to the size dinner plates as she watched the pie soar through the air and desperately attempted to catch it on her plate. Despite his lightning fast reflexes, he was only able to grab some of the crumbly pie before the rest landed with a wet splat on his attire.

Why did I wear white?, he thought with dismay to the purplish-blue blotch that now covered his white shirt. He had opted to wear informal colonial attire for the social since he couldn't figure out how a cravat was tied or why it even existed. Thankfully, his black vest had escaped the onslaught and the same went for his navy coat.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen" she apologized profusely with embarrassment and her reddening face was proof of it. She set her plate on the table hastily and grabbed several cloth napkins to wipe the glaring blotch, handing one to him so he could clean his hands. Her brow furrowed with humiliation as she dabbed at the stubborn stain and she sighed with exasperation, "I wasn't paying attention, I-I-"

"It's merely a stain, don't worry" he stated simply because a fruit stain was nothing compared to caked blood. He placed a hand over her shaking fingers as she tried in earnest to remove the blotch, glaring at that annoying diffusing circle as it mocked her. How could she do this to his attire? He was too kind to say such words to excuse her clumsiness and she frowned, determined to remove that stain. He managed to pry the napkin away and it seized her attention, shifting her worried gaze up to his.

She expected to find mild annoyance in his brown eyes but detected only faint amusement. All she could focus on was his handsome face as the noise of the party faded into the background, hearing only her beating heart. He was silent but his deep gaze alone tore into her mind to confuse her thoughts, her mouth to seize the words from her lips, and her heart to steal every nervous thump. Her unblinking eyes finally snapped to attention when they began to feel dry and she managed to whisper meekly, "I-I'm sorry."

From across the room, Myriam waved a frantic arm towards their friends as they practically froze like statues staring at each other. Norris couldn't help but smile to her flabbergasted face as she declared indignantly, "How? How are they telling us no? Look at that!"

Ratonhnhaké:ton smiled to her sheepish expression, enjoying the rosy cheeks and seeing her bite her lower lip anxiously. Her large blue eyes danced against the glow of the lanterns in Mile's End, darting between his shirt and his face. A stray lock of hair brushed against her left cheek as it escaped the twists in her hair as she pinned half of it up and left the rest to touch her chin. He restrained himself from tucking that stray hair as he'd done over a year ago, content with simply being in her presence.

"Better it be pie than hot soup" he replied to her mortified posture but it only caused her to groan with embarrassment. Oh, that wasn't good. Wanting to put her heart at ease, he placed a hand on her shoulder and assured, "Calm yourself. Enjoy the party."

Caroline nodded hastily to drill that into her head and backed away out of his grip. As much as she wanted to enjoy the physical contact, it was best to simply be in each other's company. Otherwise, her heart wouldn't heal and overcome their relationship. She avoided his gaze to shove away those butterflies that had burst in her stomach and crossed her arms to look around the inn. Her family was united after a year and this was the first Christmas they were spending together, leading her to comment, "We're ushering in a new year, I hope it'll fare better than this one."

He couldn't help but implore further since half of it was spent at sea and the other in Davenport. Did she mean her life onboard the ship? Or the jumbled mess their own had become? Following her cues, he gazed at the floor instead and asked quietly, "Was 1775 that unhappy?"

She didn't mean for her words to sound ominous or regretful. One chapter of her life had closed as the wanderlust bug was sated but at the cost of her relationship with him. She'd found her meaning as a young colonist living in a turbulent time and she shook her head to answer briefly, "It was a tumultuous year, that's all."

"Do you have any plans for 1776?" he asked carefully and this time, glanced at her to gauge her reaction. He hoped that she wasn't inclined to run away again. If she did have plans, he could ensure that she stayed safe outside of Davenport by utilizing his contacts.

"Nope, I'm pretty good with hunting and working at the mill" she replied earnestly with a warm smile since being with friends and helping at home filled her with a new sense of accomplishment. Myriam was improving her skills with a rifle and she could use her shooting range with her pistols for practice. Her father's mill was also utilizing her abilities with accounting and the inner workings of a small business. She shrugged nonchalantly to the idea of exploring again and added in, "Maybe when Amelia's ready to head back to the cities, I'll go. You?"

He had a schedule for a sea voyage while his assassins would keep their eyes open for any sign of Hickey's whereabouts. It had been a while since he'd been out at sea and with winter in full blast, he didn't expect to see many ships in comparison to warmer seasons. Faulkner also kept insisting that he'd lose his sea wings if he stayed on land a month longer.

"I'm heading out with the Aquila in two weeks" he informed her, seeing as she wasn't eager to leave their town. It made him happy, to see that his little town was enough for her in comparison to before. Although she'd told him her leave had to do more with self-discovery than anything else, he reluctantly admitted that their seclusion hadn't helped. He caught a glint of curiosity in her eyes as they turned away from the dance floor and he continued, "We're heading north towards the Arctic Ocean."

"Better pack warmly" she advised because the word at every port was that no sane man traveled there at the height of winter. Whales had already migrated away to warmer waters so it was enough to warrant caution. She'd only experienced winters in the north colonies and mentally shivered at the thought of even colder and wilder winds. The north was a true winter land and only the experienced traveled there.

His next question stopped her entire thinking process as he offered with modest hesitation, "Would you . . . be interested in joining?"

What? . . . What?!

Caroline stopped breathing at hearing the question, her eyes widening to their fullest as she looked at him. Was he serious? No, this was a trick! Right? As quickly as her mind grinded to a screeching halt, it burst like a beaver dam full of questions and she could only stutter in absolute shock. Wasn't he the one that declined her suggestion to board the Aquila? Why would he offer now? Didn't he want her to stay home after everything? Then again, he had suggested it on her return but she was stunned to actually hear it. She was so confused to the out of the blue question and it reflected off her face.

"You said you were interested in navigation, this would be a good opportunity" he proposed to see whether she was interested or not. Faulkner had poked him enough about having another sailor onboard that was literate that could handle jobs they couldn't while at the helm. Although his secret life would be at risk, he hoped to postpone its discovery but if it happened, it was better to have it exposed as friends than as partners. Caroline's large eyes hadn't blinked in seconds as she appeared frozen in place and he reiterated carefully, "If you're willing, of course."

"This is a loyalty trick, isn't it?" she squeaked nervously because he stumped her completely for the first time. After years alongside him, she'd prided herself in reading every little glance, action, and facial expression. This was one time where she was undeniably uncertain and in the dark on how to proceed. He shook his head to disagree and his kind eyes told her that he was being honest. He'd never lied to her before, why would he start now?

"Is it a good idea to offer?" she asked worriedly and wrung her hands, releasing some of her nerves. Her eyes darted between the floor, the food, and his face because she couldn't voice how intermittently they interacted upon her return. How would she serve as a sailor if they couldn't be comfortable in close quarters? Their history was a high wall to scale and she asked softly, "Would we be able to work effectively?"

Ratonhnhaké:ton averted his gaze to the children scuttling around the inn and tried to sound casual about the potential live-in situation, "Why wouldn't we?"

"It seems you're able to detach emotions better than I can" she murmured quietly because she couldn't forget him so easily. The opportunity to be onboard a vessel with people she trusted was a great learning opportunity, even if it was to the uninhabited polar north. Living on the same ship would cross their paths and slowly, she could learn to build a shield around her heart.

He nodded quietly because he'd been trained to contain many emotions from a young age. His culture had already raised him to be reserved and humble, as well as highly observant, but the trauma endured in his youth jumpstarted a cautious nature. It would be a test for him to see whether he would need to cut his binds from her or find his way back to her.

"I . . . I . . .need to breathe" she faltered anxiously as she took deep breaths to calm herself. This was not a dream, was it? Ratonhnhaké:ton hoped she wasn't about to faint and kept an eye on her back in case she became wobbly. The redhead, however, turned to him and poked his chest with the strength of a henpeck, reluctant to believe him, "This is a test, right? I must be hallucinating from so much pie."

When she rubbed her midsection with a crestfallen pout, his serene mask broke and he smiled to her humorous declaration. Her theory made no sense but her facial expressions were quite endearing. He closed his eyes to hold back laughter when Caroline turned to the accused dessert and served herself another slice. Allowing her to soothe her nerves via food, he gave her time to consider, "Think about it and let me know."

He nodded in farewell to let her enjoy the night and headed to the bar where the men were congregating. He wouldn't drink any alcohol but he would enjoy the lively conversation. As he walked away, Caroline finally managed to gain control of her nerves as she chewed on the yummy pie and absorbed the news. A hopeful smile lit up her face and she wiggled in place happily at receiving her first opportunity to return to adventuring.

"Yes!"

Music echoed throughout the inn as he left but Ratonhnhaké:ton heard her ecstatic voice. Turning around, he tilted his head to the right to smile at her and Caroline blushed to the rare but handsome action. Her cheeks darkened more when he asked with amusement, "Was that your answer?"

. . . .

She took a sudden fascination with the floor and idly poked her unfinished pie slice to mumble sheepishly, "No, that was . . . uh. . . pre-celebratory dancing for the new year?"

He withheld a laugh to her bashful tone as she was caught in her jovial mood but said nothing, continuing on his way. If she was happy, he'd leave her happy.

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A/N: Apologies for the chapter lateness, I had to have oral surgery and I've discovered that bedrest and a liquid diet is not for me. On the plus side, it's given me time to read my recent book purchases and one of them was on Mohawk culture from the 1600s-1800s. Anyhow, I always found the homestead missions fun and animals make it even more so. We've seen Connor and Carrie interact in homestead for quite a bit as they've aged so now they're taking their platonic friendship to the high seas for the first time. Their personalities will differ in each location and with the people they interact with so get ready for some naval missions.

Thank you for the new alerts/readers and my last chapter top five countries (the US, Australia, the UK, Canada, and Malaysia), not to mention my reviewers:

Shy911: Everyone gets kooky with liquor within the quartet. I haven't decided whether to make Connor an emotional/weepy drunk, a self-destructive one, or the newest chatter-box in the bar. Caroline is the dreamer/heavy denier of being drunk, Norris is the sleepy one that craves food, and Myriam is the competitive/daring one.

East Coast Captain: I didn't realize how much his voice changed in volume until I replayed that mission for this story and laughed out loud. It took oinking pigs to break the stoic warrior and I can already see him not wanting to have pigs on his own land one day. I figure being at home where he feels safe would allow him to break free for a moment but it was hilarious to hear him yelling at the plump pink pigs.

Next Chapter Excerpt . . .

Ratonhnhaké:ton shifted silently through the deep snow, the heavy winds pushing against him with a fury he had never felt. It stabbed painfully at his exposed skin and chilled his body to the very bones under his assassin robes. Unfortunately, he needed to be fast on his feet for this mission and he hoped finding his target would be quick. The Arctic winds were unrelenting, biting him wildly unlike the currents of Davenport during winter.

He heard shuffling behind him and he stopped momentarily to catch his breath, calling out sternly, "I told you to stay onboard where it's safe."

A defiant scoff was his reply as Caroline quickly joined his side, drawing a red kerchief over her lower face. She'd been adamant in accompanying him as a lookout to the derelict ship he sought. With this being everyone's first trip to the arctic, she wasn't letting him wander out alone in the harsh climate. He wasn't overly happy to the supervision since he'd gone alone to dangerous places before and she reminded sharply, "I promised Mr. Faulkner to keep you safe, even he doesn't want you alone out here."

She wasn't turning around at all because her concern was his safety in this isolated landscape. Snowfall whirled around them as the thick snow pulled on their legs, threatening to trap them. She rubbed her hands together for warmth as she proceeded past him, pushing him to surpass her to maintain the lead. Ratonhnhaké:ton didn't want to be responsible if anyone was injured on his watch but Caroline wasn't taking no for an answer. With that in mind, he admitted with reluctance as they headed toward an incline, "Faulkner's guess better be right. Why anyone would believe the Northwest Passage exists is beyond me."

Caroline followed his gaze to the dark blue waters of the Arctic off to their right, shivering to seeing broken pieces of ice floating, and suggested, "Maybe it does and man isn't equipped to handle it just yet?"

He couldn't imagine this being worthy of a venture, not even for business, and shook his head to reply, "With this wild climate, it'll be centuries."

"Or maybe it doesn't exist" she piped up with the only other possible choice and watched him slide down a snowy embankment. Following him loyally, the cold numbed her right side momentarily until she landed on her feet on secure snow. Ratonhnhaké:ton dusted off his robes to keep warm and shot her a deadpan stare, causing her to grin, "C'mon, laughter will keep us warm."

He was skeptical of her suggestion and she waved a hand in dismissal, realizing he was in mission mode. When that occurred, she could rarely crack a smile from him and she was almost inclined to say he became a different person altogether. The honor and determination was still there but there was a stern edge to him. She wouldn't push it and continued following him down a narrow path formed between the empty land. Canyons of ice surrounded them as they traversed through heavy snow once again.

Eventually, the snowy path opened to the ocean once more as the layout shifted into a cliff overlooking the dark waters. Caroline's eyes widened to seeing the floating pieces of broken ice wandering over the silent ocean in slow motion. Was this the fabled Northwest Passage? How could anything traverse the thick polar ice without becoming stuck or having it shatter the hull of a ship? Ratonhnhaké:ton spotted the abandoned ship instantly as its derelict form jutted towards the sky and pointed to it to let her know they'd found it. He hoped it was sturdy for an explorer and spoke softly, "The Octavius. Hendrick van der Heul's first and last captaincy."

As a captain, he hoped that wasn't a foreboding omen as he glanced at the wreckage and told her, "That feels a little odd for me."

Caroline shook her head to dissuade ominous thoughts and informed matter-of-factly, "The Aquila's been around for a long time. You're also smart enough to detect danger and avoid it. . .or shoot it."

He glanced at her with mirth in his eyes for the wisecrack and she reminded with an innocent smile, "Ah, what did I say about laughter in this winterland?"

"It's certainly the coldest place I've been" he agreed to the steep temperature drop of the north compared to their own land. Even the sun appeared like a shrouded specter as it appeared a faint white in the stark land. He wore numerous layers to combat all climates but the cold pierced any uncovered skin, burning his flesh until he warmed it. Glancing at Caroline, he pointed to the thin fabric of her sailor's kerchief and advised, "You should've worn a hat, not a cap."

"And watch the Arctic winds claim it into its icy depths? Never!" she scoffed indignantly to her hard-earned belongings and tucked the ends of the cap behind her ears even more tightly. Wiping away snowflakes from her face, she peered at the dark sea between them and the ship. More land encased in ice lay to the right but as ice thinned at the edge, pieces broke off to enter the circulation of small icebergs. Caroline didn't want them to fall through cracked ice again but looked at him with determination, "Let's get you on that ship."

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Thank you for reading!