Broken Soldier ~ Assassin's Creed 4

Chapter One

The Dawsons. That's what they called us. Dawsons. Plain old Dawsons. Well, my father prefers we be referred to by our family name. 'It's much more formal this way' he would explain after my countless attempts to get one of his clients to call me by my birth name. I must say, I hated our family name. It stuck in the air while still being rather dull, if I do say so myself. But, I was my father's child and so I couldn't disobey him. If I did, I didn't want to know what would happen with his bad temper.

We used to buy resources for dinner parties from a small farm, owned by a poor couple with a child. We never saw the child as he was always hidden away inside the house. Cleaning or helping with the jobs on the farm, most likely. Father hated that farm, but mother felt sorry for the poor people of Bristol. She didn't like to see them suffer, which is probably why my views are so like her's and not my father's. She is a reasonable woman in all her glory, quite the opposite of my father. He would rather rid the streets of the poor than help them. However, these people were trying, unlike the others whom wallow around in sewage, slurring their drunken thoughts then slamming back to the floor when a guard pushed them down.

This day was another in which we would purchase more supplies. Milk from cows, wheat, butter. There wasn't much this family produced, but it was delicious all the same. And, as my nursemaid dressed me in my dress, stockings, boots and shawl, I couldn't help but also feel sorry. The poor family lived off of bread and milk their whole life, maybe some meat if they had enough money, and we had feasts monthly. The small coin purse which I always carried at my waist was full, my dress was new and my hair was neatly combed. I had never counted myself lucky before that day. My nursemaid had noticed the sad look on my face and pushed up my chin. I smiled, fiddling with the bow in my hair. She then got back to buttoning up my dress.

The carriage had been pulled around to the front of the house and our driver, Holden, helped us into it. My three sisters went first, being younger than me, then he held my hand with a smile.

"Welcome aboard, mistresses." My sisters giggled, though I was used to Holden by now and just gave a little smile. "Your parents will be here shortly." Our nursemaid, Edith, was jogging over. "Edith, you are always late!" Holden chuckled.

"Sorry, sir. I was folding the mistresses' clothing, sir." She took her place out at the front by the horses next to where Holden would sit. I heard her breathing quicken when my mother and father left the house in a high paced walk.

"Goodness sake, we are going to be late. Holden, speed up a little today." Holden nodded and then took his place. Mother and father were helped into the carriage and sat opposite us. I didn't say anything to them but smiled towards my mother. She gave a little smile back and placed her hands in her lap. My sisters spoke quietly however I secluded myself as much as I could in the small space.

We arrived at the farm within an hour of leaving our home. The couple were standing outside and had dressed smartly to meet us. The woman's husband said something off to the side, to which the woman hit him gently on the arm with a smile. My parents hadn't noticed as they still looked straight ahead. Holden opened the door and we were escorted out first. The woman gasped with a smile. She looked almost...amazed... My chest felt cold with guilt as I compared their smart clothing with our regular clothing. Their child wasn't with them. My parents stepped from the carriage, my father shook the man's hand and kissed the woman's knuckles. I could see that he hadn't wanted to but wished to keep to his regular common courtesy and did so anyway. I liked meeting them - I hadn't the last time we were here because father ordered that Holden drove us around the town while he sorted out their business.

"Good day, Bernard, Linette. I don't believe you have met my daughters." My father spoke in a soft voice.

"No, I don't quite believe we have had that pleasure." The woman smiled down to me.