Jenny's Arrival: AU Assassin's Creed Black Flag 9

    I stand there and stare at her, not moving, not blinking, barely breathing. Frozen, with no clue what to do. She stares up at me with Caroline's eyes cautiously. Caroline. How could she do this? How could she not tell me I have a child? And how could she send this daughter I didn't know I had half way around the world to me once I told her I wanted a divorce?

    The girl stares at me. I stare at her. I have no idea what to do.

    "Jenny, is it?" asks Mary, taking a step forward. She leans down so the two of them are on eye level.

    Jenny nods slowly, still unsure of the situation.

    Mary rewards this action with a grin. "I'm Mary, Mary Read, though some people call me Kidd."

    Jenny giggles. "But you're not a kid, you're a woman grown."

    Mary's grin widens. "Now that you mention it, it is a funny name, ain't it?"

    Jenny smiles and nods again, more surely this time.

    Mary reaches out her hand for Jenny's. "Since now I know you and you know me, why don't you take me up to the house and show me your room? We should probably tell Miss Anne you haven't been eaten by wild tigers anyway."

    Jenny giggles again, the sound musical. "There are no tigers on this island. Only wild boars."

    Mary scoffs at herself. "Of course, you're right. I must have been thinking about the next island over."

    Jenny takes her hand and allows Mary to lead her towards the house. "Are there really tigers on the next island?" she asks just before they're out of ear shot. I don't hear Mary's response.

    With Jenny gone it seems I can move again. I let out my breath in a large gasp and struggle to get it back. I lean over, hands on my knees, desperate to fill my lungs.

    "Breathe, breddah, breathe," says Ade's voice from somewhere beside me. "Dammit," he mutters to himself, "this is exactly what I was trying to avoid."

    "I'm fine," I wheeze, attempting to wave him off.

    "You will be," he agrees, hoisting one shoulder beneath my arm, "but for now let's start with a drink."

    I chuckle, beginning to get my breathing under control. "That's a fantastic idea."

    He helps me up the stairs to the tavern and into a seat, signaling to one of the tavern wenches for ale.

    "How long has she been here?" I ask, though I know as far as vital information it doesn't really matter. My world has flipped upside down though, and I'm struggling to figure out how to right it again.

    "A few weeks," says Ade with a sigh. He doesn't offer anymore information, letting me decide what I'm ready for.

    I nod slowly. "Did she come with an escort? Where's the girl's governess?" I glance around, as if to find the woman hovering around the tavern.

    Ade takes a large swig of the ale placed in front of him, as if fortifying himself for this conversation. I leave mine untouched, for once too anxious for ale. "She came alone," he says. "No escort, only a letter explaining who she is."

    I clench my jaw, hoping I misheard him but certain I didn't. "Adewale. Are you telling me that my six year old... daughter," I say, faltering only slightly on the last word, "was sent from England to the West Indies without so much as a companion to keep her safe?"

    I'm positive there's fire in my eyes, but Ade doesn't look away. He doesn't even flinch. He just gives a single firm nod.

    I shake my head in disgust. "It crossed my mind that there was a tiny chance Caroline would be unhappy about the divorce, but this is ridiculous. How could she do this, Ade? To her own child?"

    Ade closes his eyes and lets out a long sigh. "She didn't, Kenway. Caroline died two months ago, a product of her father's neglect."

    My heart freezes in my chest. "Caroline is... dead?"

    He drains his mug dry and signals for another before bringing himself to answer. "One week before your letter arrived."

    I look at him in a daze. I'm a father, a fact Caroline hid from me for over six years, and I can't even get mad at her for it because she's dead? I wanted to be free of her, that's true enough, but not like this. Never like this.

    "And... Jenny?" I ask, hesitantly. "How did she end up shipped off?"

    Ade glances at my untouched ale and I can tell he'd prefer if I was drunk for this. Instead of an answer I get a question. "Edward, what do you know of your former father in law?"

    "Emmett Scott?" I ask, furrowing my brow in confusion. "I hated that man. Never thought I was good enough for Caroline, was always encouraging her to leave me. He was a bastard."

    "He's a Templar," Ade interrupts. "A particularly vicious one, who received word his lay about son in law joined the assassins." My heart stops beating, but he's not done yet. "When Caroline grew sick he denied her a doctor and left her to die, punishment for marrying you instead of the Templar he had picked out. And when your letter reached jolly old England he decided to send you Jenny, probably guessing the poor thing would never live through the crossing alone. That all that would reach you would be the letter revealing her existence."

    I reach for my mug of ale and down it in one go. I'd really like to be drunk right now. "How did she survive?" I ask, signaling for something stronger from the barmaid. I'm not sure if I'm dulling the pain or feeding my anger, all I know is I need another drink.

    "One of the boys we saved from the hurricane all those years ago was crewing the ship she was put on. When he heard her destination he took her under his wing, made sure she lived. I paid him well when he dropped her off, safe and sound. Jenny never knew she was in any danger."

    I nod and reach for the shot placed in front of me, but Ade pulls it away.

    "It won't do to be meeting your daughter for the first time stinking of liquor." He downs the shot instead. "I've already sent word back to the Brotherhood in England. Mr. Scott will be dead within the month."

    "I want to kill him with my bare hands, Ade."

    He nods calmly. "I guessed as much, that's why I sent the order. You're a new man now, Kenway. There's no need to be going back to England. The Templar bastard will die, no worries about that. Your life is here, breddah."

    My mind flashes to Mary. Mary, shouting orders. Mary, leaping off a cliff into a pile of hay. Mary, worrying over Anne. Mary, taking Jenny's little hand in hers and leading her away with a smile. Mary. My life is here.

    I push away from the table with a sigh. "I suppose it's time to go meet my daughter. Where is she staying?"

    Ade gets up with me. "We cleaned out your trophy room, it was easy enough to transform into a child's room. We didn't want to leave her alone at night, but now that you're back Annie and I can move back to the cottage. Just give me an hour to get her there, Anne isn't moving as fast as she used to these days."

    I pause in my step and glance quickly at him. "Did you just say Annie and you?"

    He gives me a genuinely happy, if somewhat sly, smile.

    "Aye, Annie and me."

    I clap him on the back. "Well done, mate."

    He nods and heads off, letting me complete the trek to the manor at my own pace. A pace a bit slower than normal. Perhaps much slower than normal.

    I'm a father, I wonder in amazement, keeping my steps measured. I have no idea how to be a father. I'm the captain of a pirate ship, in love with my first mate. I don't know how to raise a child. And Mary. How in the devil is she going to take this? Suddenly a mother to a six year old girl? I doubt that was ever in her plans. Will she even stay with me?

    No matter how I've dragged my feet I've arrived at the manor now, standing frozen just outside my daughter's room. I take a deep breath, about to go in, when I hear Jenny's light, clear voice and Mary's deep, husky one.

    "Miss Mary, are you a pirate?"

    Mary chuckles. "Why would you ask me that?"

    "I've heard all about pirates. And you carry a sword. Isn't that what pirates do?" asks a curious Jenny.

    "Ah, but I carry this because I sail with your father," she responds, deftly sidestepping the girl's question.

    "My papa," starts Jenny, hesitantly, "is he a good person?"

    "Aye, Jenny. That he is," responds Mary immediately, a smile in her voice. "And I know he's going to be a good papa to you."

    There's a pause before Jenny speaks, her voice small and worried. "But what if he isn't?"

    "Then I'll make him," promises Mary, "by the tip of my shiny sword. Be easy, Jenny. You'll be safe and cared for now."

    "Are you going to be my new mama?" asks Jenny, hopefully.

    Mary laughs. "I need to check on Miss Anne. Can you play here by yourself for a moment?"

    The girl must nod because I hear Mary get to her feet and make her way towards the door. She's barely stepped into the hallway when I grab her and pull her to me. I press her up against the wall, kissing her desperately, letting her presence soothe me. She responds readily, as if she expected this, and wraps her arms around my neck.

    I run my fingers through her hair, cupping the back of her head, and break contact with her lips. I angle her head so she's looking straight into my eyes. "I love you," I tell her, latching my soul to hers as if it were a life line. "I love you."

    She studies me for a moment before seeming to come to a decision. In a voice so low only I can hear it, she says,

    "I love you too."