27th October 1775

"Don't worry, Anna, just take a sip!" Mary said and waved the bottle in front of my face, encouraging me to take it from her.

"No! Put that bloody thing away! you'll only get us In trouble," I tried to reason with her, hoping not to pull further attention to her reckless behaviour. "You know we're not allowed to drink from the stock if we don't pay for it!"

"Oh, the others do it all the time, and Mr. Ridler isn't even here so he won't find out," she said before bringing the bottle to her mouth and drinking from it.

"Mary," I begged her, without result.

"For heaven's sake; relax a bit, would you? It's just brandy, not poison!" She laughed me off before once again raising the bottle to take a sip, only this time I grabbed it before she had the chance.

"Stop it. Can't you see this is a bad idea?" I was getting all the more annoyed with her and that bloody drink.

"No, my view is blocked by a big, fat coward." she tore the bottle from my hands and took another sip from it, looking tauntingly at me while doing so.

"Really, Mary?" I said disapprovingly.

I wasn't afraid to drink, nor did I think Adrian would find out. My brother wouldn't be back until tomorrow afternoon, and he couldn't possibly keep track of every single bottle in this inn. No, getting drunk would simply be inappropriate, not to mention doing so would also be theft..

"It's true, no use of denying it," she teased me with a mean smile playing on her lips

"Please, just put it away-" My sentence was interrupted by a deep voice coming from behind me. Before I turned around, I could see Mary's grin fade and her mocking gaze quickly fell to the floor.

"Do you mind getting me an ale, lass?" It was the smith! The same one who had gotten my friend under a spell without even knowing it himself.

To her credit, Mary had made some progress: she had actually gotten his name by listening to conversations he had with his drinking companions over the last weeks. Hugo, I believe it was.

"Not at all," I said since Mary seems to be at a complete loss of words, and set to pour him a mug from the wooden barrel that had just gotten filled with freshly brewed ale that same morning.

"Anything else?" I asked as I placed the cup on the counter in front of the man.

"That'll be it, thanks" he took his drink and left me the coins before setting off to a table close to one of the windows, already occupied by his friends.

"Oh, Mary!" She was gulping from the bottle like it was a matter of life and death. Although, I must admit I was quite astonished. There was no mild brandy they served here at that inn; and surely her throat must've been burning like a fire.

She stopped at my words, already out of breath and with her face twisted in a grimace, which I could not blame her for.

"And you have the nerve to call me a coward," I muttered towards her.

"This is not the same thing!" she exclaimed with a hoarse voice that lead to another grimace on her face.

"No, you're right. It'd actually do you good to talk to him." Now it was my turn to grin teasingly at her.

"I will the day I see you drunk," she snorted at me, with a voice far too daring for my liking.

"I'd better get started then." The words escaped me before the more responsible part of my mind had a chance to stop them, all of a sudden the bottle's opening was upon my lips and I was tilting my head backwards, letting the strong drink flow into my mouth.

The taste seemed to be embraced by all my senses at once, and it stung like bees in my throat as I swallowed it down. Indeed, it took some effort to keep a straight face after such a sensation.

Yes, I was aware that this was a horrible idea, but the look on Mary's face made me so full of laugh it was easy to ignore and forget my sense of responsibility. This was far from the largest risk I had taken, and besides of that I was more or less certain my brother wouldn't find out about this little mischief.

Just for the bloody sake of it, I brought the bottle to my mouth once again, and perhaps a couple of times after that as well. I know Mary took it from me so I could take an order from a guest, and giving it back to me near empty.

The second bottle was rather frequently passed between Mary and I where we stood behind the bar, trying to be discreet with our drinking. But of course, we weren't.

We joked and laughed together, the later increasing and the first declining the more time past. Or rather, the more we drank. The conversation was more or less focused on ways to approach the smith -or Hugo, most rewardingly. And to my surprise, I didn't mind discussing that man for a change, which might had something to do with my less than sober state.

"Mary, now's the time! Get your arse over there and talk to him!" If Margaret had heard me say that, she'd make me sleep in the hall for a week. Only at that moment I had forgotten about her and apparently my manners as well.

"Not yet I don't- I mean he's not- I'll do it later!"

"But he could leave at any moment! Now's your chance!" I tried to encourage her.

"No! Later or not at all."

"Oh, bloody hell if you don't go now, I will." I said before taking the bottle from her hands.

"As if you'd dare," I don't think she meant to sound so mocking saying that. Mary knew it'd only worsen the situation for her. None the less, I perceived her words as a direct challenge, and God knows I was suddenly very prone to show her how unafraid I was.

"You better look closely," were my words to her as I turned on my heel and walked around the bar desk, a little more unsteady than I'd like to admit.

The bar was rather occupied that night; and there were more than a few people standing in my way. Although, I eventually managed to push myself through the clusters and reach the table were the smith and his friends were seated.

"Good evening gentlemen," I spoke loudly to get their attention and without realizing just how tipsy I must've sounded.

They were five men altogether, all of them seemly well above my age and each of them looking at me with a questioning look, surely wondering what in the world it was I wanted from them.

One of the men caught my eyes; I could've sworn I had seen him before, which I had more than once, only at that moment my mind was struggling to recognize the face before me. I stood there for several moments, staring at him with a small frown on my face. They must've taken me for a downright idiot.

"You're the butcher! I knew I'd seen you somewhere!" I burst out as I finally managed to give the man a title. "Mr. Marcus Hunter, am I right?" I smiled like a child finding she had done something good.

It took several moments before I got an answer.

"He is," Hugo said after looking from his poor friend, who was staring at me like I was completely out of my mind, and back at me. His words caused me to turn my attention in his direction.

"You-" I must've been pushed forward by someone passing behind me since I still wasn't drunk enough to lose by balance just like that, I certainly hope so, at least… None the less, I was forced to brace myself against the table to prevent ending up sprawled over it.

I stood up quickly, nearly losing my balance doing so. I continued to speak like nothing had happened. "It's you I want to talk to!" I leaned in closer, making sure the smith could hear me over the rumbling noise caused by the other guests. "You see that blonde girl there behind the bar?" I asked him quietly. Well, I meant not to speak too loudly but it appeared none of his friends had missed a word of what I had said.

They all broke out in a chuckle, except for the smith who looked rather skeptic. Of course, I didn't realize that at the time since I was all too busy making sure he got the message.

"Do you?" I asked again when he didn't answer me. This time I received a nod in acknowledgement.

"You see, sir, she really fancies you and-" I didn't get to finish. After I had said that, one of the men couldn't hold his laughter anymore, and he was soon joined by the others.

"You're just messin' with him, aren't you, lass?" said the one who had started laughing.

"No, sir! It's true, I've had to listen to her blabbering about your friend for weeks!" I exclaimed, getting all the more impatient as I was beyond eager to get the poor smith talking to Mary. "Now, she's far too shy to speak with you, but she surely wishes you'd say hello to her sometime."

Even though the smith must've been quite uncomfortable in the situation he had troubles keeping his own chuckles down, and the laugh of his friends certainly didn't help the man.

I straightened my posture and said goodbye to the men in a most embarrassing attempt of politeness but not before giving a few more words of encouragement, and returned to the bar feeling like a saint for the good deed I had done.

"Mary?" I called out. She wasn't behind the bar anymore, and so I searched for her with my eyes, getting all the more puzzled as I could not find her. Soon enough I came to realize she must've gone somewhere else so I set off to the kitchen, leaving the bar unmanned.

She couldn't be found in there either, but the door leading outside to the shared backyard was ajar. I began to walk towards it, but stumbled and almost crashed into the cook who responded by angrily swearing at me in German.

The man's name was Bernd, and he had a last name that was too foreign and complicated for me to recall. He was a short, fat with a temper that couldn't be matched with anything I'd seen before. The few words he had uttered towards me had been nothing but demands for a few tasks such as washing cloths or gather water for him.

I quickly apologized, and continued on to the outside.

"Mary!" I called for her in a hushed voice. It was late in the evening and I did not wish to wake our sleeping neighbors.

"Here," I heard her measly voice coming from where she stood bent over a few bushes some distance away.

Oh, that poor woman. An acrid smell filled the air as I neared my friend. She had straightened up a bit, and was just about to assure me that she was alright. But in that instance she had to double over the bush once more.

I collected the hair that had escaped from her bun and held it out of the way for her with my nose wrinkled in disgust. Both the sight and smell of it made my own stomach turn, and it wasn't without a struggle that I remained by her side until she shakily stood up and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her dress.

"Good lord, are you alright?" I asked while supporting her as well as I could.

She nodded weakly. Mary's breathing was ragged, her face was red and eyes watery from the strain this had put on her.

"Come on, let's get you inside." I said and pulled her weak frame with me back towards the door. we moved slowly, I had my arm around Mary, even though she'd probably be better off without the aid of my somewhat unreliable balance at that point.

None the less, we both made it back into to kitchen, earning a disapproving look from Bernd before he returned to his work of tidying up with a loud scruff and a mumble to himself.

After I had gotten Mary seated on one of the two wooden stools in the room, Bernd handed her a mug of water. She denied it at first, but one sharp look from him and she was sipping from the cup the very next moment. I suppose that man's bark was worse than his bite.

"I told you this was a bad idea." I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. Our eyes met and she slowly nodded in agreement, before she lowered the mug from her mouth.

"Yes. Let's do it again sometime." Her voice was weak and a moment of silence fell between us before I could keep a serious face no longer. My faint chuckles were soon accompanied by hers. I shook my head at my friend.

"You're bloody hopeless, Mary."

Mary tried to take another sip of her water but was interrupted by a sudden laugh caused by God knows what, and nearly spat her drink back into her mug. Of course, this caused me to double over with a laugh that made breathing next to impossible, while poor Mary fought to swallow the water still in her mouth.

"Miss Ridler, get back to the bar," came a stern demand from Bern, who surely had tired of Mary and I acting like the fools we were.

I obeyed his command and without a single word or as much as a glance at my friend I returned to my assigned position, still with a smile on my lips.

Some time passed and once Mary came back we were clever enough not to finish our third bottle of brandy.

We served the rising amount of customers until the sun was long gone and the crowd had finally been thinned out. I counted to three men who seemed to have dozed off. One rested his head on the table, still with a mug in his hand, another lay in the far corner, and a third was soundly tucked behind the small space behind the stairs. I nearly missed him as I passed, but a loud snore earned my attention.

I was doing my best to wake the drunk by shaking him while receiving nothing but resentful whimpers, when I heard the door open behind me.

"Sorry, we're closing for the- Oh, Connor!" Mary exclaimed loudly. "What a nice surprise; are you staying for the night?"

"I am. I hope you have a room to spare?"

"Yes, of course! Something to eat first, or a drink perhaps?" The drunk was finally crawling out from the narrow space. I stood up from my crouched position and moved out of the way for him.

"No, thank you." Connor answered her shortly, before giving me a greeting nod as I turned to face him.

"Are you sure, it won't be much bother," Mary tried to convince him.

"Yes, I am certain." He said quite politely as he clasped his hands in front of himself. "Has Adrian come back yet?"

"I'm afraid not. He told us that he should be back by tomorrow afternoon," I said. "How's your arm fairing, by the way?"

"Better, although far from healed." My eyes fell upon his arms, as if I could see the injury behind the fabric of his robes. I must say, I hadn't quite noticed the way it fitted so tightly around him before. The muscles in his arms strained against it in a way that was sort of nice.

"That's splendid…" I said, but my mind seemed to have put its full attention upon the man in front of me. I must quite shamefully admit that I didn't prevent my eyes from wandering across his body, regardless of how wrong it might've been. I came to admire the shape and tone of his exposed neck, before letting my gaze upon his broad chest. Even with my numbed mind I was keen to acknowledge every detail of him before I finally came to lay my eyes upon regions much lower than appropriate.

"What's so amusing about that?" My eyes quickly tore away from him and only then did I notice the small smile on my lips. I could feel a heat spread across my cheeks as I looked upon Mary.

"Well... nothing at all. Forgive me, my mind wandered," I quite pathetically explained myself.

"Is that so…" The look I got from her let me know that she knew exactly what I had been doing. "Room seven is free," she said, directing her attention to Connor.

"Thank you," he answered with a polite nod before moving towards the stairs. Both mine and Mary's eyes followed Connor until he was out of sight, and even then she lingered her gaze at the ceiling.

"That was an appreciative look, Anna," She said just after the door above us was heard shut.

My blush deepened at her comment, and I remember sending a prayer that she wouldn't be able to see my reddened face in the dim light.

"What do you mean?" I spoke confidently but came with a poor performance of innocence.

"Don't you try to weasel out of this, I know what that was!" She laughed while accusingly poking my side as she passed by me.

"Perhaps it's not what you think." Of course it was, but even though the game was already lost I was not very keen to admit it. "What you're suggesting is just inappropriate, Mary"

"Ha! I'm being inappropriate? Anna, dear, we both know it wasn't his belt you were looking at. Rather what's below it." My head dropped in embarrassment, yet a guilty smile had had found its way onto my lips.

"I'm blaming the brandy." I said as to justify my behavior. She laughed at my comment.

"You do find him attractive, don't you?"

"Let us say that I've seen Connor in a new light." I said while wiping spilled drinks off the tabletop with my already drenched cloth.

"Good answer." Mary gave me an amused smile and I winked teasingly at her, rather turning the situation humorous than into any further embarrassment.

She winked back and, on top of it, threw me a kiss.

"Oh, Mary," I said with the most flirtatious voice I could muster. "Would you like to go upstairs with me?" She could hardly contain her laughter as she answered me "Yes".

"Can I join?" the deep voice interrupting us came as a surprise for both Mary and I.

"You haven't left yet?" She snarled towards the drunk, who still hadn't gotten on his feet.

"Easy, love. I was just about to!" It was a wonder how that man was still able to stand on his own.

Eventually, he made his way outside but not without more than a little shoving from my part. The drunk began to chanted loudly as he walked across the square, hopefully in the direction towards his home. I locked the door behind him.

After that, Mary and I continued to clean up the bar and make preparations for the night while continuing our jokingly courtship of one another.

It was childish, and far from what passed as acceptable. At least it would have been if I was still in London. Although now there was no Margaret to correct my behavior and no mother to lecture me on what it meant to be a lady. But I wasn't a lady anymore, and I quite loved it.

It did not take us long to finish our work, and soon enough Mary and I had exchanged silent goodnights.

Upon entering my room I was met by a merciless cold that made a chill run through my body. The walls were badly isolated and my window was ill constructed enough to let in the cold from outside. Autumn had really been taken into the air, and ever since the nights had became chilly so had my room.

I lit both of my candles, and proceed to unwind my hair from its confinements. Soon, the waves rested over my shoulders as I impatiently brushed the tangles out them, trying not to shiver too much while doing so.

I quickly undressed to my shift and braced myself before creeping in between the icy sheets that soon became warm.

A light headache had taken grip of me, one that I feared was the beginning of a much worse morning sickness.

Connor

29th October 1775

"Finally, Stephane! what took you so long?" Adrian called out with a broad smile across his face all the while sounding annoyed with our friend.

"I'm five minutes early of said time! Was there a change?" As he spoke, Stephan shut the door to the kitchen and came to join us at the round table in the bar that was now freed from it's common people and the loud rumble that came with them.

"Nah, you simply showed up last." It seemed Stephane was about to argue Adrian's teasing, as Duncan was showing his amusements from across of me, but both of them came to interrupt as Adrian continued to speak.

"I have news from England. Both good and bad." He made a pause and seriousness quickly settled between us. "So, my contacts has let me know that they are yet searching for Anna, and according to exchanged messages, my father is pushing to have the search extend over sea. That means we couldl have a new arrival here soon, provided his demand actually went through. Although that being the case would be very unlikely; which takes us to the good news! They should be more or less done for by now. In written time of the letter the Templar's situation were threatened enough to make it a bad idea of wasting men on silly expeditions."

"What about the colonial Templars?" It was Duncan who raised the question. Indeed, if they were to come and looks for her we would be faced with big trouble.

"Father wouldn't. I'm certain of it." Adrian spoke with confidence "Especially not now, whereas his position must already fragile." He made a fair point, yet a possibility remained.

"I take your word for it, but we should still make the precautions we can," I said. "You should inform your sister and rest of the employees about the situation."

"I will." Adrian said with a confirming nod, before changing the subject for us to discuss newly regained targets as well as reflecting over past missions.

Duncan had recovered his injuries well, and it was soon decided that he would travel to Rhode Island, whereas Stephan and Adrian would best remain in Boston. As for myself, I would begin to prepare my travel back to the homestead. My stay here had surely been prolonged, and besides of that, there were matters in the frontier I'd better take care of, errands that without doubt would delay my return further.

The meeting didn't last for long as there were little to discuss and decide at that point. Stephan and Duncan didn't stay much time after the closure of it either, both having other matters to take care of.

"So Connor, are you staying until tomorrow?"

"I doubt it. I have set aim on leaving this afternoon." I said while rising to my feet. Eager to collect my brought belongings.

"Can you spare a minute?" I paused to look at my brother in arms, whose face had taken callous veil. I sat down again.

"Is it about the news of your family?"

"Yes. Well, it's about Anna. I'm unsure whether it would be good to tell her of this." Adrian let out a sigh. "Look, she's just starting to settle in and allow herself to let go of what's behind her. If she hears about this, that her family -our family, is in danger… It will all fall back down on her. Anna has been happy lately. I don't want to ruin that for her."

Adrian did make a point. His sister was not, nor had she been, kind on herself for running away. I could as well see the change in her since she got here. Yet, hiding information would not serve her any justice.

"Do you think she would rather hear the truth?" I knew she would. Even if that girl came to live here until the day she died her past would never leave her, whether it be for good or bad. Anna loved her family and would surely want to know if they were in danger.

"Yes, but what good would it do her? We don't know what will happen, and I don't want to worry her for naught. Besides, say one of those bastards do show up here looking for her, she wouldn't be dumb enough to give herself -or any of us, away."

"Your words hold merit. Do what you think is just to her." I gave my answerer after taking a moment of consideration. "How are you fairing, knowing your family's situation."

He gave away a faint laugh.

"Is it very bad that I can't find it in me to care? The only good thing about that family ran away, but sure, those children will lose their father and their bitch of a mother will be a widow. They'll probably not know it but my brothers will be spared a faith in the order and that is for the better. They will be alright."

I was not surprised to hear Adrian's reaction. I knew of the abuse he had suffered from his father's wife during his time in the household. Anna had not spoken highly of her mother either, but made it clear that she held good qualities as well. Her abusive tendencies seemed to emerge when she was inflicted by alcohol. Anna herself addressed her mother as a 'perfectionist of the exterior', and presented her idea that Adrian greatly disturbed the woman's image of a perfect family, causing her disfavour of him.

"No. Your point of view is not bad, only the reasons for it. Still, you make a valid statement."

"I suppose you're right. Thank you."

"It is the least I can do." I said and rose to my feet a second time, now joined by Adrian.

Our conversation was ended and I headed towards the stairs, to the room I had slept in the past few weeks. The day was still young, but I needed to prepare with food and additional supplies before riding towards the frontier.

"Anna!" The sound of Mary's sharp call pulled me out of the thoughts that refused to leave my mind. She must've called for me more than a couple of times already, judging by her impatient look.

"Yes?" I answered and prayed for the hundredth time that she wouldn't notice my shaking hands as I rid the bed from it's sheets.

"If you may take the laundry basket downstairs and begin to fill the wash basin, I can put the fresh sheets on. So we'll be done quicker?"

"Of course." I let the linen sheet I had been holding slip down into the basket before hoisting it up. It was heavier than it seemed, but not more than I could handle.

I made it downstairs only to be met with silence and emptiness. I had thought Adrian would be in the bar, and as I entered the kitchen I came to discover that he wasn't there either. Not that my brother by any means was the person I'd wish to see at that moment, but I could use a conversation to keep myself from… well, myself.

I had been sitting half way down the stairs, hidden from the four men but close enough to hear every spoken word. Dear lord, I knew from the beginning that it was a bad idea. Of course, I had asked Adrian if I could attend the meeting but he had obviously declined my request. I was very fortunate to have a brother who put so much trust in me. Although he really should have checked the stairs.

I could not blame him for it, but did it make my blood boil to know that he would hide such a thing from me!

I was not fragile and at the verge of breaking as my brother seemed to think I was. But to be fair it was like taking a knife to the heart hearing him talk about it. What if father was dead already?!

My heart was still beating hard in my chest and my hands would not stop shaking no matter what I did.

My brothers would grieve if father died and it would change them. But Adrian made a good point. They wouldn't be involved with the Templars. I wasn't very concerned about their safety; father would surely make plans and arrange it so that they would manage in case of his passing. If I knew my mother right, she'd cry pretty at the funeral, and then drown her troubles with drinks. But the boys would still have Margaret to look after them. They would be fine.

Still, there was a tight knot in my chest that wouldn't go away. I breathed heavily while fighting to calm my breath, which only became more of a struggle as my eyes began to sting in an all too familiar way.

They will be fine. Everything will be just bloody fine.

I put the laundry basket down with an unnecessary force and swallowed hard. It was with stated steps I went and pulled out the basin from its place between the wall and the counter before pulling my still shaking hands through my hair. I swallowed again in the hope of suppressing the lump in my throat and a sight escaped me as I rather dejectedly set to gather water.

Everything will be fine.