The Immigrant

Chapter 57| July 6 1804

The warm summer breeze ruffled the leaves on the trees as I retreated back to Burr's residence after a long day of work. The sunset illuminated the sky as crickets hummed in the nearby bushes. Only a few people were out as they scurried back home to their families. I took a long breath as my head ached and hands hurt.
Stars started to shine as the sun's light disappeared with every minute. Another day had gone, it seemed only like a blink of an eye. 
I eventually made it to Burr's residence as I walked inside. The house was mostly dark except for the study. The talking seemed to stop as Burr and a man I didn't recognize look at me at the door.
"I'm sorry for intervening with your conversation." I said awkwardly about to turn away
Burr looked over at the man before looked back at me.
"Mr.Auditore, I would like to introduce to you, Mr.William P.Van Ness." Burr said as he looked over at the man.
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance sir, Ezio Auditore." I greeted bowing slightly.
"Greetings." Van Ness responded with a slight smile.
Burr cleared his throat indicating for me to leave the room so they can carry on with their conversation.
"Right my apologies." My voice cracked as I gave a nod to the two men before walking out of the room.
I walked awkwardly upstairs and didn't hear the men talk again before I was well absent. I bit my lip as I shook my head, embarrassed of my intrusion.
I also found it quite strange for Burr to have meetings in his own household. He usually wasn't to fond of visitors if the situation wasn't very important.
I lit the candle next to my desk as I opened the window. The sound of crickets and frogs filled the air as I sat down at my desk. I dipped my quill as I began to write.
While writing a couldn't help but overhear parts of the conversation right below me. At first it seemed only complaints towards Hamilton and his disrespect towards Burr. But, as I listened further I discovered something chilling.
"The eleventh is only a couple days away, Nathaniel Pendleton has confirmed that the duel is final?" Burr voice muffled beneath the floorboards.
I stopped writing as I frowned. Duel? Whom must it be with and why?
"Yes sir, Weehawken at six o'clock..Mr.Hamilton and Pendleton have situated a Doctor and pistols in hand for the duel." Van Ness said slowly.
"Hamilton will have his honor flushed away by his own mistake...dueling with a man who knows him too well." Burr said cooly.
My heart stopped as I looked straight ahead. A feeling of dread rushed over my body as I felt sick. This couldn't be happening...
I swallowed hard as I looked directly at Hamilton's letter that laid beside my hand. With growing fear I opened the letter, probably prematurely as I scanned over Hamilton's writing.

" My friend Ezio,
With words I struggle as I  I do not know how to tell you this, but I have finally come to face the consequences I have been avoiding all my life. A subject of honor has driven me to be a man of my word and a man of my industriousness that I have shown to the public eye as they it seemed, a enemy I made by my own words. They have now laid to rest in the past as I take what is right and bring justice to my ken thoughts and persuasions of regret in the past. Settling a persons honor once disrupted is not a easy task on hand. For me I must face a challenge that I have denied through my road of success yet folly. For me I must throw away my shot and pray for the best for my family and friends that I have deeply cared about all of my life. On July 11 at Weehawken New Jersey I will be holding a pistol and come face to face with your mentor and good friend Aaron Burr. Though a tensed situation, I know Mr.Burr means well. I have thought about this day with a sickly and dread state of mind my beloved son Philip's legacy cannot be ignored with a single gunshot. As I follow in his footsteps, I show a sense of tranquillity yet sadness but no regrets of events yet to come. For you Ezio Auditore, I wish for you a prosperous and successful life that you have been gaining sense you landed on these shores as a young immigrant. A deeply loved and trusted friend for my family and I, thank you.

Yours truly, Alexander Hamilton."

I lowered the letter slowly as tears began to fall. Alexander knew deep within that Burr was going to have his glory that was taken from him ever sense he met Hamilton.
I felt a sense of hopelessness as the dreadful thought of Hamilton and Burr locking pistols at each other crippled my body. For all that has happened between the two men in political affairs, it was very saddening and unfortunate that their rivalry had to come to this. I wanted to reassure myself that everything was going to be ok, but I lied to myself when Philip was tragically shot and killed in a similar duel.
I clenched my teeth as I combed back my hair. I blinked away the few remaining tears as I looked somberly at the letter in in my hand. Please...I can't take another loss...
Were Burr's intentions that evil?
Suppressed from my comforting thoughts I sat at my desk, drowned away in a dismal circumstance I didn't hear the door to my room open.
"Ezio?" Thedosia's soft words questioned.
I took a deep breath as I looked over at her my cheeks stained with tears and hair a mess.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
I would hate for her to know the truth, fearing that the possibility of her becoming an orphan would traumatize her for the rest of her life.
"Yeah, I was just thinking.." I said almost in a whisper my voice shaking.
Theodoisa sighed as she approached me, taking my hands in hers.
"You know you can trust me, I know in the past I might have shown you wrong but no matter what I still care for you." Theodoisa said, she seemed so grown up.
I gave her a teary smile as she gave me a friendly hug.
"Thank you Theodoisa." I whispered.
"You're welcome." She smiled giving me a kiss on the forehead.
I smiled gratefully as I closed my eyes. Big matter what we went through it seemed that we never truly broke our bondage between each other. We always kept an eye on each other during our hardest times as we seemed to forgive each other no matter how bad our mistake was.
Though Theodoisa was married to someone else, we still held a unique and loving bondage with each other, companions and good friends.
Thedosia stood up and was walking towards the door when I opened my eyes.
"Wait.." I said as she turned back towards me.
I stared sheepishly at the ground before  continuing.
"I was wondering if you would sit with me for a while?" I stuttered my face growing red.
Theodoisa gave me a friendly smile as she nodded.
"Of course." She smiled as she sat down next to me.
There was a moment of silence between us two but we seemed to enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
"I want to thank you Theodoisa for being there for me through some of my most troubling times." I said softly looking down at Theodoisa.
She smiled warmly.
"That's what friends are for right?" She chuckled her eyes shinning brightly up at me.
"Besides, I could have been dreadfully lost without your guidance and your way with words." Theodoisa remarked.
"No matter what, I still love and care about you Ezio, married or not, and I hope you know that." Theodoisa said her voice soft and comforting.
"Throughout our hard times with each other we still pushed past our troubles and still saw eye to eye." I murmured.
"The very first day I met you...I knew my father made a good choice for an apprentice." Theodoisa smiled.
The smiled faded from my face as I remembered what was going to happen between Hamilton and Burr in a couple of very short days.
"Yeah." I said sharply with a frown.
Theodoisa didn't seem to notice as she hummed, resting her head on my shoulders. With the hum of the crickets and the soft glow of the candlelight I finally fell asleep out of exhaustion. Theodoisa squeezed my hand before departing the room a few moments latter as she closed the door softly behind her.