Another Chapter was written, sorry it took so long, I was in a wedding *cue Rain of Castamere*. Don't worry, it was a lovely wedding, no bloodshed. I also got a replacement laptop, but it is a really old. Very buggy! I didn't know what to call this Chapter, but this will have to do.

Another thing! I am also starting a new Fanfic called Spanish Rose that will be a two-part series. I ask you guys to check it out! I promise you will not regret it.

I want to thank everyone who is following this Fanfic 😊 You are all awesome.

One last thing I want to add, I like to find a roleplaying partner, if you don't know what that is, its where you make a story between two people by sending monologue and actions between them. Don't think I am weird lol I do it to help with ideas.

-C

Catherine was there for a week. She still was deciding her decision, but for now, she kept her mind preoccupied as she helped Connor around the homestead. She went for a walk with Connor through the deep snow to get firewood for the house. Connor suggested to check on their new neighbors, Godfrey and Terry, Scottish lumberjack men who looked to set up a mill here on the Davenport Homestead with Achilles blessing. As they approached the small log cabin that the two men who built within the week, they saw Achilles speaking to the two lumberjacks, before returning their work.

"I am going to miss the peace and quiet, but we certainly need the wood."

Catherine nods, "I can attest to that…the manor needs a lot of work,"

Achilles looked at Catherine, "you're saying that as if you're staying."

"I haven't decided yet, but I am sure in the meantime Connor could use my help."

"Perfect, then when you both have some time, come down to the shack near the shoreline. There is something I like to show you both…especially you, Catherine, I think you appreciate it the most."

Connor looked at Catherine question as if she had known what he was referring too. "Come on, we can worry about the firewood later."

The two teenagers made the journey to the shoreline where Achilles was waiting for the both of them, "So why did you bring us down here?" Connor asked as he eyed the old shack.

"Go ahead and knock boy,"

Catherine turned her head to stare at the wreckage of the Aquila. It was such a sad sight to see such a grand ship to be cast out into a watery grave. Call her a fool, but sailing was in her blood, and ever since she was a little girl. She wanted to sail her own ship, just like her father, but being a woman that wasn't in her future. Why is it that having tits could hold you back from so much? She wondered to herself.

"Go away! Don't you speak the King's English?!" an old salty voice rang out as Connor peaked into the cabin. Achilles beckons Catherine to follow them inside. The old man who stood in front of them. He was obviously drunk,"Go away, boy!"He shouted at Connor. He grunted as he sipped from a bottle of liquor until he saw Achilles with Catherine lingering behind.

"Ah, old man, I didn't see you there, I would have tidy up a bit If I knew you were calling."

Catherine had to resist from covering her nose while Connor looked full on disgust from the smell when was the last time did this man bathed? He smelt like cat piss and ale.

"Who are they?" The old seaman hiccuped.

"This is Catherine and Connor. They are here to help restore the property. Children, this is Robert Faulkner."

Mister Faulkner barked a drunken laugh, "Restore, huh? Let me show you what needs some polishing."

The seaman collected the bottle of liquor and walked out of the small shabby shack to the shoreline. Faulkner pointed towards the sorry sights of the sunken ship. "She is still the fastest in the Atlantic. Sure she needs some loving but with elbow grease, she will fly again!"

Connor looked confused as he looked for "her", a woman who obviously wasn't there. "Who is she?"

"WHO IS SHE?!" Robert went into a drunken outrage at the innocent question Connor had. "She is the Aquila boy! The ghost of the north seas!"

"the boat?"

Master Faulkner looked like he was going to murder the boy, but Catherine stepped in as Robert turned in the face. "Its called a ship Connor. The reason why 'it' called a 'She' is that the men who run her know her inside out and there is always a great deal of bustle about her."

It was slight wisdom from her father that Catherine recalled when she was a little girl. Robert Faulkner seemed a little astonished from her comment, which it was highly uncommon for sailors to know that woman knew a thing or two about ships.

"Who was your father girl? You're the daughter of seamen. I can see the way you hold yourself," He asked before sipping out of his ale

"Shay Patrick Cormac."

Faulkner spewed his drink all over the ground and started to hack and cough like he was choking. "Co-Cormac?!"

"I guess my name holds a bigger weight then I realized."

The salty old man wiped his mouth, "Damn right, sailing is in your blood, even though your father was right up bastard." He wobbled over to Achilles and pointed at the two teenagers.

"I thought you said they were here to restore order! The lad is the greenest thing on the frontier, and the lass is a Cormac!"

Catherine growled, "Hey, I am not my father's daughter!"

The man waved his hand, ignoring the lass before Achilles turned to look at them. "Catherine, Connor, meet me up at the manor after your done here."

"So, were shall we began?" Catherine asked, "It needs heavy repairs before we can stretch her legs,"

Connor eyed the old seaman, "Are you able to do so?"

"Aye, aye, but I am lacking in the proper supplies, some quality timber would help us get started."

"How long until it-she, can sail again?"

Robert leaned against the wall of his seaside shack as he sipped his bottle, "Just get me the lumber boy, Ill round up a crew!" He slid down the side of the shack in a tizzy drunken state.

Catherine eyed the drunkard, before stepping back, "We should talk to Terry and Godfrey,"

Another week passed on the homestead for Catherine, assisting around the manor, and repairs down by the ship. It was a good and healthy distraction to keep her mind preoccupied and away from the thoughts of her mother's death. She was helping saw long timber in half with the help of another crew member that Faulkner had hired. Master Faulkner had especially requested for her to help, but she was ware around some of the sailors, but they seemed to accept her, and her help. It may have been freezing out in the wilderness today, but with the hard repairs, Catherine was able to pump her blood to keep her warm. She was actually working up a sweat.

"So, I meant to ask, how your mother is, girl. I find it hard Rosie would let her only daughter run amuck."

Catherine finished her end of work as they got to the end of the timber. "She died…a few weeks, Achilles took me under his wing, when I fled Boston from the British."

"Ah, I am sorry Lass, your mother was a good woman and knew how to keep the ale flowing. Whatever happen' to that lovely lil tavern she had?"

"I closed it for now….I don't know how to run it by myself, and apparently, I have the decision to make for myself now."

"Wither, or not to join the Assassins? Huh, I have had a little talk with Achilles about ya."

"He doesn't trust me, does he? I wouldn't do anything wrong, or what my father did."

"Nothing like that, he just wanted me to observe you, and the boy." He looked over at Connor who was helping to pull the ship closer ashore. There was a large number of men working to pull the ship. "I see good potential in you both,"

"But what if I don't plan on sticking around? What if I plan to return to Boston?"

"Then I wish ya luck, and will plan on giving you a visit to your tavern." Robert gave a toothy smile, as they both watched Connor got a pat on the back for finishing the task. "Catherine, you make your own decisions, Achilles sees that, and I see that. Why shouldn't you be given the same chance as him?"

"Good point, but I don't think the Templars are scared of a Native boy and a little girl."

"Maybe not, but imagine if you two work together? You can get the vengeance that you both need,"

Both? Like both, Connor and her? What did the Templars do too the lad? She never stopped and ask him why he decided to pick up his blade as an assassin. It was something that she could worry about that later after their work was completed for the day.

Robert seemed to be satisfied with the teenagers' work after a few more hours of propping the ship up. Catherine had watch Connor climb the side of the wreckage with ease. He didn't break a single sweat as he swung across the side to asset the damage.

Catherine walked with the native back up to the manor, "That was pretty amazing to watch you climb like that."

"Thanks, I learned from growing up in the village when I was a child."

Did he come from a village? She wondered why he left but didn't want to be too personal with his life.

"Could you teach me how to climb? I grew up by the sea, so we didn't have trees to climb as kids. James and I would hit each other with sticks for fun,"

"James?"

"He's my friend, he was actually with me at the protest….I hope he is okay, I heard he got arrested." Catherine stopped in her tracks, she had just remembered her forgotten friend. She was thankful to him for buying her time to escape from the redcoats.

"Samuel said he'd take care of anything, so it should be okay." Connor reassured her, "I would like to teach if you like. "

Catherine smiled, "Alright,"

"We can start now if you're not too tired."

"Sure! The day is still young, come on!" Catherine punched his arm, before running ahead of him. She leaped onto a log and ran along it till she fell into the foot deep snow. "Shite,"

Connor tried to hold back a smile from the girl's clumsy try at free running. It was kind of winsome to see her laying in the snow after her triumphant fail. "Good try, but I think we should try something more easily than trying to run across logs."

"Then let's go,"

Connor was more than willing to teach Catherine the ways of climbing, Connor expected her to not learn as fast as she did. The girl was eager to learn more after she climbed her first few trees with ease, he knew that she was a city girl that spent her whole life in the comfort of Boston. Her father was an Assassin, now Templar. it was obvious that she got natural talent from him.

Connor stood behind Catherine as he coached her how to jump to the next branch, "Alright, you need to find your central balance, or you will fall."

"Got it," She looked back over at him. They manage to find a tree close to the ground that would prevent any serious injury if she fell. She ran ahead and leaped through the tree like it was a jungle gym. She landed on the other side with ease, before turning to Look back at Connor with a large smile. "how was that?"

"Perfect." He smiled at her.

Connor wouldn't admit out loud, but he felt a growing friendship with Catherine, he didn't know why, maybe it was circumstance, but he was glad he could count on her. He knew that she was debating to return to Boston, but he prayed it wouldn't be soon. He hoped she would stay, to train to be here at the homestead.

He jumped up after her into the next branch, "Catherine,"

"Yes," Catherine climbed through the trees, "What is it?"

"Are you planning on staying?"

"I-I don't know." She almost fell out of the tree when Connor asked her, she lost her focus for a second. "There is so much I want to think about….I want Lee and the others to pay for what they did." She grabbed the branch as she leaped into the next by swinging on a branch. "What did the Templars do to you?"

Connor was silent for a moment, before telling his tale as they ran through the trees. Catherine had to stop herself when she had heard that Haytham inner circle had surrounded Connor when he was a small child. Lee was heading the group and was the one that integrates the child. Charles Lee had choked Connor when he was a mere four years old child. Catherine was sick to her stomach to hear how cruel the Templars were.

"That is sick…."

Connor was quiet for a moment before pressing his chilling story, "I found my mother burning alive inside our longhouse, trapped under some rubble. I tried everything to save her, but I was too late. She shouted at me that she loved me before it encaved on her." His voice was filled with bare emotions.

"I know that feeling…."

Connor eyed Catherine as she stared out towards the quiet white woods. "I thought if I could get my mum to a doctor, everything would be okay, but I was wrong….She had gotten an infection and had internal bleeding." An anger raged through like a wildfire in the forest that swallowed everything in its flames. "God damn it! They took everything away from me! They took my father from my childhood, they killed my mother!"

Catherine covered her face, anger and fear were surging through. She hated them all, she hated them. How could they do this?! How could they rip a family apart like this?

Connor grabbed her hand and leaned against the bark of the tree. He held her in his arms as she tried not to cry, but quiet sobs were buried in his chest. The quiet sobs soon became loud and distributed, her feeling of numbness rolled away that was filled with pain and frustration. She was numb this whole time, only faking a smile at genuine happiness. "I want them to pay Connor, promise they will pay." She hiccupped as she looked up from his arms into his brown eyes.

.

Connor felt pity towards the girl, he wonders how long she would be willing to stay.

"I promise,"

The native was unsure how long they sat in this position in the tree, he didn't mind holding the weeping Irish girl. Catherine needed a shoulder to cry on and he was the only person in sight that was able to give it. When his mother died, he had his entire village to support him, he wasn't the only one who lost a love on in the tragedy, so they grew stronger as a whole. She had no one, her father abandoned her practical, her mother was dead, her friend, James, was sitting in jail, and the Templars ran her out of town in fear of being arrested too. Everything that was normal in her life was ripped apart, she'd be lucky to return to Boston at all.

The wind blew giving a slight chill in the air that made Catherine shivered in his arms. She pulled away and wiped her tears that were building in her puffy eyes. Her face was all pink, and not from the cold.

"Sorry, I lost my nerver.."

She took a moment to asset the way they were sitting in the tree with Catherine leaning on his chest with Connor pushing his legs at a slanted position in the V-shape branch they were position in. She had all her weight on the novice assassin. If her cheeks weren't as blotchy red, her cheeks would be a glowing red with embarrassment. Catherine quickly pulled away to adjust her weight and to readjust herself, so they didn't fall out of the tree.

"Shall we? I want to get some lunch," Catherine sniffed as she fixed a strained of hair that fell in front of her face.

Lunch sounded like a good idea, Connor's stomach was already alerting him to eat, but before he could agree, a loud cry for help echoed the woods.

"What was that?" Catherine asked

"I don't know, but we should check it out."