Walk in Two World's: Chapter #13

Chapter #13

-----------------------


   Katie felt a piercing pain coming from her side. She quickly reached her hand down and pulled out a dart. She was thankful to pull it out quickly, but something was piercing her mind. She looked to see a round shape in her blurred vision, she turned only to see a dark figure springing from behind, and all was a further blur before all would go black.  

———————————————

Minutes earlier
Early November 1757

Within the passing months following, the assassins and allies had an up and down struggled with control over territory and routes by land and sea. Katie and Liam traced every aspect of the British, returning to New York only once to report to pierce and keeping the guise for Katie. As the months pass on, Katie began to analyze every aspect of Kasogwase’s actions. From what she heard, he made his presence known to the “traitor”, to which from what Katie understood was against the tenets of the creed.

Hide in plain sight.

Which it lead to from what Katie realized was compromising the brotherhood. She began to understand that when one tenet of the creed is broken, it can lead to the downfall of the others as well. Katie tried many times to address the matter, yet Liam had other pressing matters on his mind, to which she couldn’t blame him for that. To hear the news that the friend you thought was dead for a year suddenly rose from nowhere and started to attack his formal “brothers”. All she could do was listen and obey.

One evening, Kasogwase, who recovered from his second degree burns approached Katie. Despite her best efforts, the explosive gunpowder barrel left the native’s red skin looking more darker compared to the near infected and reddened skin.
“We need you to scout the fort, see if you can find a way in and where the colonial resides. And if you see that traitor…” The words seemed to fade in the young woman’s ears as she nodded, turned and prepared for what she needed to do the following day.

Katie’s robes were drying from a wash in the river, and the fact dressing as an assassin at this dangerous time would probably draw more attention. She pulled a small pair of men’s breaches with suspenders as she placed on a wall vest and a long brown trench coat where she could hide her thine hidden blade without drawing attention. Katie made her hair into a braid and pulled it underneath a hat taken from a fallen soldier. Pulling on her boots and reciting the twenty third psalm and prayer, Katie silently left the assassin camp and went onto the roads towards the fort.

A good hour and a half passed, Katie could feel the strange warmth of the night before the cold sun would rise. She pulled her coat closer around her body as a breeze kicked it. Rubbing her hands together and breathing into them, she longed for a fire of all things.
A small, yet loud tussle of the woodlands caught Katie off guard. She looked towards the south, holding a pistol that Liam provided weeks prior, ready to draw when needed. A large female elk and her fawn came trotting across her path, making her sigh with relief.
Suddenly, Katie felt a piercing pain coming from her side. She quickly reached her hand down and pulled out a dart. She was thankful to pull it out quickly, but something was piercing her mind. She looked to see a round shape in her blurred vision, she turned only to see a dark figure springing from behind, and all was a further blur before all would go black.  

“Katie? Katie! Come on lass, don’t you dare slip away from me hands!” A thick voice called out to her, making Katie open her eyes, she looked up to see dark eyes looking into her face with surprise and worry, now melted away with relief. He pulled Katie close into a tight hug. “Lassie! Thank God you’re alright!”

Smelling the strong scent of sea salt and gun powder, Katie rubbed her head, releasing the pounding blood flow in her skull.
“Never better.” She responded dryly. It never fully grasped Katie’s mind was that Shay was holding her in the pathway. “What are you…”

“I should be asking you that question lass. What the hell are you doing in the River Valley? In the forest alone and dressed like a…” Shay paused for a brief moment as to sum a word that best described her attire. “Like a lad looking for trouble.”

Katie pushed herself off from Shay’s lap to stand, with him following onto his feet. She felt light headed and swayed, only to have Shay grabbing her arms gently holding her steady. “Easy lassie. You’re feel light headed for a bit.”

“I’ll be fine.” Katie replied. “Just need to move thats all.I was on my way to the Fort to get…” Katie had to think quickly on how to explain in this sort of situation. “To get supplies for the voyage home. Pierce’s ship was stopped and robbed by a band of renegades on other ships. We knew things were getting more risky with the french pressing; yet they took most of our supplies we needed. I managed to get most of them, but I needed other matters like salted pork, ammunition, and stuff written here.” Katie pulled the same list that she was doodling with hours prior of the next voyage back to New York for herself. She thanked God silently that she kept it in her pocket. She handed it over to Shay to analyze it.

“Seems reasonable, some stuff I could of made an adjustment if I were in your shoes lass. Possibly new shoes come to think of it.” Shay looked up from the list to look at her with suspicion and down to the long boots she was wearing. “That doesn’t explain why the hell you were walking around by yourself in this area…”

“I thought by dressing as a boy in one of the coats from the ruffians from my ship’s raid and making a braid bun to hid my hair in this feature with a hat, I just be a farm boy on the way to the fort.” Katie’s face went red as she defended her safe idea, realizing in her head how quickly she lied about her robes, since they were a size too big, it would make sense it looked out of place for her. For the assassins were looking rather poor after months of tracking, fighting, and low rations. “Why are you so concerned with my…”

“I almost killed you lass.” Shay yelled, making her jump with surprise. “There had been many attempts of the colonial as of late, many of them, probably attacked your ship too. If your braid didn’t fall from the hat I would of…” Shay was pacing like an animal in a cage, his voice choked towards the end before he would punch a tree with his fist and pressed his head against it. His body shaking, eyes closed as he tried to calm himself.

Katie slowly walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulders giving him a light squeeze. “There’s nothing to worry about. Shows you don’t fall quick to action.”

Shay gave a choked chuckle that sounded hurt. “Someone once told me that I needed to think before striking.” Shay turned to look at Katie. “You sure did fool me with this disguise. If anything happened to you I…”

“Oh stop it, you don’t know what you just said.” Katie scolded Shay with a slap on the arm. “All’s forgiven.”

“Even after…” Shay shook his head, turning away from eye contact.

Katie reached over to take Shay’s gloved hand, feeling the callused texture of the palms and fingers of the leather. “Shay! I know you, and care for you, you’ve done nothing to change that.”

Shay blinked and gave a smile. Thankful for Katie’s grace. He looked towards the direction of the fort. “Well lass…we best better get you to the fort and get what you needed. Perhaps there be enough food at the camp to have supper before going.”

Katie blinked in surprises. Hours ago she thought of ways to sneak in, now she was being asked for an escort to the fort. This was an opportunity she couldn’t compromise. And she walked into the fort, a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

“Alright” Katie sighed. “I suppose I can allow this braid to go loose and wild like nature intended and walk with you, if you can bear me smelling like a swine for not washing for weeks.”

“That hair shouldn’t be confined no matter what.” Shay teased.

“Said the man who took my favorite ribbon a year ago and never returned it.” Katie giggled, feeling surprisedly relaxed. Shay’s eyes widened as he placed a hand on the back of his head, feeling the red ribbon he always tied his dark hair back with.

“I’m sorry if I…”

“It’s fine.” Katie insisted. “My hair is so thick anyways, it just be a struggle with or without it.”

“And no, you don’t smell lassie. In honest truth, compared to some of the crew and soldiers, you smell of lilies on Resurrection Sunday in comparison. Though I suspect a bath might be a thing I’m sure the colonial could arrange, if you like.”

. Perhaps by giving into these offers, no blood would probably be spilt. “That…would be amazing to be honest with you Shay. Thank you.”

As Shay took Katie in he smiled and lead her to where Monro was speaking to what Katie assumed was a officer. He turned to see the two walking, his eyes widened with a quiet surprise. He crossed his arms, keeping a stance in the presence of his soldiers. “Care to explain Master Cormac? Why is Miss Shepherd here?”

Before Shay could speak, Katie spoke up with a tone of confidence and matters of fact. “Pierce’s ship was invaded sir. I volunteered to drive at the fort in hopes of regaining supplies for the return voyage to New York. So I dressed like a boy and…” Katie paused thinking of a way not to express at the fact Shay nearly killed her. “I stumbled across Shay. He escorted me the rest of the way.” She could hear a sigh of relief from Shay, grateful for the rescue from embarrassment or discharge.

Monro looked at Shay, then to Katie again. “With all due respect Miss Shepherd, you do look as if you’d been invaded. Provide what you needed, and I’m certain I can make arrangements.”

Shay handed over the list to the colonial as Katie made her thanks known. “Thank you sir. I’m not asking much on there, though if it be possible…”

“She needs a good washing and fresh uniform-er. clothes if possible.” Shay interrupted Katie’s words. She couldn’t help but chuckled quietly when he seemed to stutter at the idea of Shay asking for some boys clothes to be washed.

“Very well. I’ll have someone prepare a tub in my personal quarters ready for you. Master Cormac can aid you in the supplies at the storage. As far as to my knowledge, we can spare Master Pierce and your crew what you need.”

“Thank you sir. Thank you.” Katie watched the colonial walk towards a group of scouts as they made their way back, some with previous wounds that made Katie’s heart drop.

“You alright lass?” Shay’s voice interrupted Katie’s sick feeling.

“Oh-yeah I just…I’m just worn out I guess. This war has made a-long hard life even harder and longer.”

“For all of us. But, misery loves company.” Shay gave Katie a bright smile. “You seemed to had brought some light into the day this morning.”

Katie gave a smirk. “Are you flirting with me Master Cormac? I’m sure that Monro would not approve of such pleasantries with women in the camp.”

“I’m not a part of his army lass. If there is one to fear, it’s you’re uncle if anything happened to you…”

“Barry?!” Katie gave a hard laugh bending over. “That man in all talk. The one you should be afraid of more is my Aunt Cass. I still remember the stings from that wooden spoon Daniel and I would get when we were younger.”

Shay gave a devious smirk. “Oh now you’d put yourself in a stupor lass. I’ll have questions for them when I return to New York.”

“If we make it through all this!” Katie said as they approached the supply room.
Shay and Katie spent a fair amount of time gathering and logging. When Katie finished and paid the soldier, Shay took her hand and placed a pistol in her hand.

“You know how to use that lass?” He asked intensely, making Katie nervous. She knew how to shoot yes, but how can she when Shay had no knowledge of Katie being an assassin.  

“Well…yes I do…sort of.” Katie expressed with an innocence that she could pull off. “Daniel did taught me a few times before he died, whenever he was away he wanted to be sure that I knew how to shoot a pistol.”

Shay gave a stern look then lead her to a small makeshift range outside the fort where other targets were made for target practice. He pointed to a makeshift scarecrow near a oak tree. “See that sorry excuse of a scarecrow?”

Katie nodded. She pulled the hammer and pointed to the scarecrow. As she pulled the trigger, there was only one click sound of metal going in. Stunned, Katie looked to see Shay giving a serious smile that had some humor in there.
“You going to need these and a little powder.” Shay’s voice gave a charming tone as he pulled out a small handful of bullets from a pouch on his belt.

Giving a groan and blowing away a straw curl from her face, Katie took a few bullets from Shay’s hand, loaded them with powder as well, and assumed the position to fire. She pointed to the scarecrow, aimed, took a breath, and pulled the trigger. A loud bang followed, leaving smoke and floating straw as she saw that she’d hit the item right at the heart. Shay analyzed, nodding. But Katie noticed another mount near by, she pointed and fired again, catching Shay off guard. He gave a whistle as he saw the damage done.

“Seems to me Daniel had taught you well Katie.” He complimented to her as they made their way towards the scarecrows to look closer at the targets. Katie Placed the pistol in a belt hostler and nodded. There in plain sight, Katie’s mark was square in the face of the feedback head.
Along the way, Katie’s foot was caught in uneven grounds caused by the wagon trails. She was falling forward towards the ground. A gloved hand gabbed her and pulled her hard into Shay’s chest as Katie gave a gasp in surprise, the thick braid landing against the black leather. As both Katie and Shay looked into each other, she never noticed how contrast and beautiful his dark brown eyes were. Safe and solid. Lost and wondering. Hopeful and determined.

As they both parted from the grasp, Shay looked back towards the fort. “I suppose that bath should be ready by now lass. What do you say?”
Katie nodded with a blush grin as they made their way to Monro’s private quarters. Shay knocked on the door to the quarters, which was more like a cabin to Katie, and as the door opened, the coronal gave a warm smile to Katie.

“I trust that Master Cormac and yourself had gather the much needed supplies safely Miss Shepherd?” Monro beckoned the two inside where Katie set down the rough sack by a large table. She looked down to see scattered pieces of parchment, maps, and books. One of them was that of a familiar manuscript. Close within her grasp.

Before Katie could come up with a question, Monro addressed the matter to Katie as he pointed to an isolated corner of the room away from windows. There a large tin tub close enough to a stove was sitting there with hot water steaming from the surface. “There is soap and oils there if desired Miss Shepherd. As well as a towel. Master Cormac and I will leave you be.”

Katie nodded. “Thank you sir. And thank you, Shay.”

The two men nodded and took their leave. When the sound of the door shutting and the key locking it pierced the air, Katie mediately went to the table, opened the manuscript to see if it was really the one. And the markings and drawings matched the description that Hope and Achilles described to her once two years ago. Flipping through the pages, she wanted to take the entire novel within her sack and run. But as she thought of it, a knock at the door make Katie squeak!
Panicking, Katie grabbed some pages within sixteen pages and torn them away from the manuscript. She stuffed them into her sack and was about to run when an irish accent from the other side stopped her in her tracks.

“I’d seen you lurking near us all day mate; but if you think you can waltz into the Colonials with MY lassie in there…” Shay’s tone was that of fierce and had a low growl of a wolf. the word “my lassis” made Katie surprised. Remembering the hot water, she quickly ran away from the closest window, where outside, the sound of punches pierced the air for a few moments before all was quiet.

Sending that all is still again, Katie stripped herself of the robes, boots, and hidden blade into a bundle. She loosened the end tie of her braid and allowed the strands of hair to be set free, releasing a title wave of red. She stepped into the warm and welcoming water as it released the tightness in her mussels. Dipping her hair she scrubbed her scalp and skin clean with the soap and oil provided to her. As she relaxed in the tub, she thought about he day with Shay. What started a mission, fearing of “the hunter”, turned into a rare pleasantry no assassin could expect. The way he looked into her eyes was what haunted her the most. So and such that Katie opened her eyes to find herself rubbing her inner thighs with her palms!
Shaking her head for clarity, Katie sat up in the tub. Coming away the wet strands of hair away from her face, she took a shaky breath from the November chill in the air. It is too dangerous to be feeling this way! He’ll brake your heart no matter how he kills…or dies. He may as well be a templar officially. What is wrong with me?

When Katie finished with her bath, she found a clean tunic and pants they found today and the robes in guise of a coat near the stove. She welcomed the warmth of the fabric as it clasped her body. She went to her rough sack, checked to see if the manuscript contents were still present. When she saw they were there, she gave a sigh. She looked at the opened face of the manuscript, she taught about taking the book back to the assassins. No one would suspect…
The sound of opening doors caught Katie off guard. She looked up to see the colonel walking in.

“Parton my intrusion Miss Shepherd, we wanted to knock, but we heard your footsteps from outside.”

Katie cursed in her mind. She wasn’t as stealthy as she’d like to for this mission. The colonel looked at Katie’s fingers, which was holding the edge of a page of the manuscript. Katie looked down and thought of a lie once again which was not far from the truth.

“I was only curious and in fascination with this manuscript. Is it in ancient Hebrew or Greek? I’d never seen a book like this!” Katie turned a page as in fascination to some of the drawings of plants and anatomies that doctors would give to study.

The colonial walked over, gently picked up the manuscript and shut it gently. “It’s of a private position from another party Miss. Shepherd. One that is very valuable, one worth guarding.”

Katie twisted a curl, silently cursing. “I’m sorry sir. I never assumed…”

“It’s alright Miss. Shepherd. You couldn’t of known about it. But, I’m sure someday such knowledge shall be shared.” As he placed the manuscript into his own sack, Shay entered into the cabin quarters. He gave a secret smile and wink, complimenting Katie’s clean state quietly making her roll her eyes.

After a supper in the camp, Shay escorted Katie to the entrance to the fort. He kept on asking if she shouldn’t just have him escort to the ship, only to have Katie remind him that he is responsible out in the battle field. When they reached the edge view of the fort, Katie turned to look up at the Irish man.

“I want to thank you for the hospitality Shay.” Katie played with the braid’s end as Shay walked her past the fort, the sun almost to the brink of dusk. The weight of the rough-sack pierced her back, along with the folded pieces of the manuscript that Katie managed to tear safely and quietly in her inner coat pocket.

Shay gave a smile. “Anything for my Galway girl.” Katie gave him a slap on the arm and smirked. As Shay looked down the road, he looked into Katie’s eyes with concern. “You sure you don’t need to be escorted? I’m sure the Morrigan is more safer to…”

“You need her to be ready for anything. I’ll just be in the way. Besides, Pierce would hang my hide on his shop wall if I don’t get back soon.”

“Barry would have my head and hide on his mantel if anything happens to you Katie.” He took his gloved hands and held her fingers gently with light pressure eyes with a mixture of many emotions. “Just keep yourself safe lass. Return to New York right away.” He gave a smile as if in attempt to lighten the mood. “That’s an order.”

Katie shook her head. “You really don’t know what you just said, but I’ll take it anyways.”

“Good.” Shay then let go of his right hand and held the freshly cleaned braid. He wished he could remove his gloves to touch the softness of the hair. “We better make you more like a lad first.”

Katie removed the hat from her head as Shay helped tuck it in tight behind her ear, massaging her scalp. His touch made Katie feel light headed, she wanted to shiver with the pleasure that she was feeling. As she firmed the hat upon her crown, she felt Shay’s gloved hand traced down her cheek. She wanted to kiss him; yet she had to keep herself from going in deeper into the den of wolves she was already trapped in. She gripped his hands and gave Shay a gentle squeeze.
“Thank you Shay. Please, stay safe. Hopefully luck will bring you back home.”

“I make my own luck.” Shay said in a low tone that seemed angry to a stranger; yet it wasn’t aggressive but assuring. “Be safe Kathrine.” He then kissed Katie’s cheek and turned to return to the fort’s harbor where the Morrigan sat proud and strong, just like her captain..

Katie stood surprised in the middle of the road. She reached her hand to touch the cheek that was baptized by Shay’s gesture. She moved her fingers to her dried lips, ones longing for a taste. Shaking the thought, Katie started walking along the road. When she was out of the sights of the guards, she burst out running towards the camp. After a surprising thirty minute run, she returned to the camp to where Liam and few french soldiers were analyzing a series of maps.

“There you are Katie! We were just about to send out…”

“I know where Monro resides, and the best means of attacking the fort.” Katie announced as she was still trying to catch her breath.

“Why does you’re hair look clean like that?” The native asked suspiciously.

Katie knew she was in a tight situation, she had to improvise and fast. “While I was in the fort, I fell into the harbor. I’d got out and snuck into the fort and into Monro’s private cabin by accident. I hid in a crate for hours. And when it was clear, I pulled out these.” Katie pulled out the bundle of pages of the manuscript, all eyes upon the Irish girl.