Meeting in the forest

Honestly, Boston was quite the most crowded city you've been at. It wasn't that you didn't like it; on the contrary, Boston was a good place to live. The problem here was that Saturdays were impossible to do the grocery shopping. All the people decided that it was shopping day, thus, almost all the markets were full of people. Mondays were the traveling days. Ports, station and stables were full of people. Thursdays were the drinking days. Damn you hated them. Having to deal with drunken man was not precisely your idea of fun. Ugh, it was very tiring.

You sighed loudly as another insult came your way. If that man said something about your mother once more, you were going to murder him. "Shut up, you bastard."

"Come and shut me, you slag!" You glared at him. Being a female bartender was the worst job ever. Anyway that was better than actually not having any job. And just for the record…you were still a virgin.

Your boss had already warned you about your behavior with clients. But, come on! He didn't have to go through all you did! He didn't have to kick out drunk perverts, or threaten them to leave him alone! No, all he did was order you –and everyone who worked at the bar- around.

"Calm down, [Name]." Johan, one of your co-workers said. You liked the man. He was very kind and not half bad-looking. Shame he was already married, if not….

"I try, Jo, I try." You whined. "But I really want to smack his head. Hard."

Johan chuckled softly. "Maybe you need some fresh air,"

"Fresh air? It's freezing out there!" You exclaimed. Yup, winter season on.

He shook his head. "Yeah, and it may help you cool off, don't you think my fellow?"

Maybe it was a good idea. "You're right. Think you can deal with the pigs?" He nodded. "Okay then, I'm off. See you in awhile."

With that, you exited the bar. Maybe you did need to be outside.

You hugged yourself. Damn winter and his cold winds!

"Ow, bloody hell!" You turned around as someone exclaimed. It was a woman, and she seemed to be carrying some kind of animal skins, though you could tell she needed help.

You approached her and took from her busy arms some skins. "Here, let me help you."

She smiled. "Thank you! I really needed some help."

You nodded. "Where are you headed to?"

"Oh, Frontier. I'm going to Davenport Homestead." She answered. "I work near there,"

"Frontier? But that's too far away…" You mumbled. Few were the cases of people who came from Frontier.

"I know…" She laughed. "But the best animals skin and baits are sold here," She explained.

"So…you're a huntress or something like that?" You asked as you followed the woman around.

"Yup!" She said proudly. Finally you saw a horse. "We're here. Thanks for the help…uh…"

"I'm [Name]." You smiled at her.

"Nice meeting you! The name's Myriam." She shook your hand.

"No problem….Um, you sure you don't need help to carry those skins?" You asked her. You were about to leave her and return to the bar. Too bad you would feel guilty for not helping her.

She stared at you for several moments before answering. "I do need help, but I assume you have somewhere else to be?"

"Does not matter," You assured. You preferred to be out in the cold than in the horrendous bar.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, just let me go get a horse too," You told her. Frank would surely lend you one of his horses. He was an old friend of your dad, and the owner of one of the biggest stables in town. You were just lucky his stable was more or less closely.

You walked a few blocks, finally seeing the wooden sign of 'Stables Wright.'

Knocking on the door, you waited outside patiently. A middle aged woman opened the door. Alyssa, Frank's wife. "Oh, hello there, [Name]."

"Mrs. Wright, nice to see you here." You returned the greeting. "I was wondering if Frank could lend me one of his horses…"

"Go and take one. He's not home yet, but I'll give you permission." She smiled.

"Thank you Mrs. Wright!" You took both of her hands and smiled.

"Call me Alyssa, [Name]."

You said your goodbyes and left the house. You walked towards the stable. "Hey there, my friends!" Horses were a thing that enchanted you. They were so…majestic. Those animals demeanor was incredible. Anyway, you hurried and took Shadow. He was a black horse, and what a beautiful equine!

You rode towards where you had left Myriam. She was loading her horse with some of the animals' skins. "I see you're back."

You jumped off from Shadow. "Yeah." You took the other pack of skins and started to load your own –Frank's, in reality- horse.

Once the horses were full loaded, you followed Myriam into the 'wild' territory.

"I have heard of Davenport's Homestead." You said. You hated awkward silences, so what a best way of breaking them than trying to make conversation.

"Yeah?"

"Yup, once. A friend of my father's is said to live there."

"Really? So your father and Achilles were friends?" She asked sounding somewhat amused.

"That's him! Achilles!" You had forgotten the name of your father's friend, but Achilles name definitely told you something.

"Oh, and what is your father name?"

"Maurice… but…he died,"

Myriam stopped her horse rather abruptly and gave you a sympathetic look. "I…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay!" You interrupted her. "He…he was very sick. I'm sure he is in a better place now."

She nodded and resumed her galloping.

You didn't like talking about your father. They were painful memories. He was not sick. He was murdered by Templars. Oh, how you despised that order! Cruel people who killed everyone who didn't share their point of view.

The ride towards the Davenport house was very quiet since that moment. You didn't know how to get Myriam to talk. Every time you attempted to make conversation, she would find a way end it.

"We're here." She announced.

You nodded. The Homestead was beautiful. Myriam guided her horse towards the stable, you following close behind.

She dismounted and smiled at you. Finally a gesture other than that gloomy face she had! "Thank you for your help, you were really useful."

"It is nothing, I assure you."

After helping her carry the skins and bait jars into the old house, you said goodbye and left.

Halfway through the forest you realized a little –tiny-, minuscule detail. You didn't have any idea of how to get back. "Ah, darn it!" You dismounted Shadow. "I should have seen where I was going!"

The horse only response was his whinny, albeit it sounded as a reproach.

"Yeah, yeah. Frank's going to be mad at me if I don't get you back at the stable before the sun goes down."

You walked around near two hours. Well, shit! You were not getting anywhere near the goddamn city! "Argh, damn it, Shadow, we're lost!" You sat down on the snowy floor. "What am I suppose to do?" The horse whinnied again. He had no clue, either.

The sound of howls startled you. "Wolves?! Oh no…." Just what you needed. Rabid, hungry and angry wolves.

"Well…they might be far away, right?" You asked the horse. Cue Shadow taking off running and leaving you there. "Wait! Ah, you stupid horse!" You sighed. Now what? No horse, no way back home. "Is not as if I want to return." Yeah, right. Not even you believed that. "Should I keep walking?" You wondered out loud.

You were far too distracted to notice the pack of wolves that slowly and silently made their way towards you. The sound of a little tree branch being halved had your head turning around, and your eyes widening at the wolves.

You tried to run, you really did, but your legs were frozen –Not quite literally-. You couldn't move, nor speak. No sound left your mouth, so you opted to close your eyes and not see your beyond beautiful end.

"Hey!"

You shot your eyes opened as a guy jumped from a tree and over one of the wolves. With some kind of hidden blade, he killed the animal. You were one against killing animals, but today you begged to differ.

The guy then jumped at the other wolf and killed it too. The third wolf's luck was the same as the others.

"So, are you okay?"

You jumped and hugged him. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

He laughed a little. "It's okay. And if you'd let me ask…what is such a girl like you doing here, in the middle of the forest?"

You looked up at him. Or you were damn small, or he was damn tall. Maybe both. "Ugh…I got lost," You admitted.

"Lost?" He asked, incredulity present in his tone.

"Yeah…" You whispered. "And I lost my horse too."

"Was it a black one?"

"Yes! Did you see him?"

"Yeah…I tied him to a tree near here." He said. You hugged him again.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Is it a habit of yours to thank for everything?" He smiled down at you.

"Ugh…no…I just-"

"It is fine, don't worry." He smiled. Nice smile, by the way. "Your horse is near here, come on."

You followed the young man. Apart from being tall, he was very well built. Darn, what a body…if he wasn't covered by all that Assassin's clothes- Wait! What? Assassin's clothes? "You!"

The oblivious man turned around. "Me…?"

"Y-you are an assassin!"

He nodded slowly, as if he wasn't sure about it. "Yeah,"

"That is so….COOL!" You squeaked out. The man truly wondered if you had hit your head –hard-. "You know, my father was an Assassin too."

He suddenly became interested in the conversation. "Really?"

"Yes. He was Achilles' partner."

"You know Achilles?"

"Well…I have just seen him a couple of times."

"I understand… Oh, and where do you live?"

You sighed at this. "Boston,"

"Boston?!" He exclaimed. "That's far away from here. Come on, I'll take you to my home and tomorrow I'll take you to Boston. It's already too late."

You nodded and thanked him. "I didn't catch your name Assassin boy."

He smirked. "I never said it. My name is Ratonhnhaké:ton."

You looked at him as if he had grown an extra head. "Ra…what?"

"Just call me Connor." He shook his head playfully.

"Nice meeting you, Connor. I'm [Name]." You raided your hand for him to shook, which he didn't. Oh, well…

"Yeah, the same." He pointed forward. "That is your horse, right?"

"Yes, Shadow!" You smiled. The both of you walked towards Shadow. Before you knew it, Connor lifted you up and into the horse. "Uh…thanks!"He nodded as he himself mounted the horse.

You blushed a dark red at the compromising position. Connor was behind you, his body somehow shielding yours. He had –unconsciously- put an arm around your waist. With his free arm, he took the horse's reins.

The way 'home' was uncomfortable –Mostly for you-, Connor distracted himself guiding shadow across the forest.

There was only one thing you knew… You wanted to get to know better the Assassin guy.