May the Father of Understanding Guide Us (Open)

Elizabeth "Demon" Shay

"It's quite alright, Admiral. No child should grow up without a father, and after Sam died..." A lump formed in her throat, and tears threatened to flow. Elizabeth stared into her drink, and took a deep breath. "C-can we not talk about my family ever again" Elizabeth said as she stared into her glass. "Thank you, Admiral." She lovingly held her pendant with her left hand, while her right hand rested on her husband's sword. "In this war, nobody walks away unscathed. We're lucky if we don't sustain any mental or emotional scars, they never heal. We've all lost people, Admiral. Sisters, parents, lovers, children..." Elizabeth clenched her fist, before finally closing her eyes, and releasing the sword from her grip. "As for scars, well I've got thousands of those, probably more." Elizabeth smiled as she remembered how her husband thought that her scars made her more beautiful. "My apprentice, a young Portuguese lad, took to calling me 'a Tartaruga' - 'the Turtle' - because I have no sensation in my back on account of all the scars... So, what's next?" Her mask may have been lying on the table, but she was still hiding her true self.

Roger nodded, agreeing that it was probably best not to talk about Elizabeth's family, at least not yet. He poured himself a third glass, and listened to her talk of her apprentice. It reminded him of the cabin boy for a second, though he didn't really share a close bond with the child. He didn't even know the kids name, now he thought about it. But still, young boys who looked up to them. He wondered if the child would be willing to join the crew with Elizabeth. For a moment, he wondered if he was subconsciously creating a pirate crew.

"Hm. The Turtle. I wonder if we should rename your ship, when we get to it. Oh, yes, that'll be next by the way. A trip to Cuba, a leisurely wander, you get a hold of your fathers ship, I'll have a talk with Torres, and then we all get out of there as if nothing's happened. Before that, I suppose the only thing between then and now is your admission into the Order."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

"I'll take that idea into consideration, Admiral. Maybe the Liberator does need a new name." Elizabeth sat in silence as she thought of a few possible names for a Galleon. Unfortunately, all of them sounded like names of a pirate vessel. "Only decent sounding name I can think of is the Siren. If Dawson didn't refer to me as a siren, I probably wouldn't have thought of it." Elizabeth was about to say something, but she burst into a fit of laughter. "Sorry about that, Admiral. It's just your rank... Admiral. Made me remember the good days at Nassau. Old Rackham and his drunken shenanigans. I'm not sure if you've heard the expression, 'Admiral of the Narrow seas'? Or maybe that's just a joke between pirates" Elizabeth asked as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I mean no offence, it was just the connection." Elizabeth topped up her drink, and savoured the wine. "So my admission? When would that be?"

"If I recall my times in Glasgow properly, it refers to when a man's drunk off his arse."

Roger laughed, and downed his third glass. He poured another, and looked at Elizabeth, stopping and setting down the bottle. He thought for a moment; he'd need to get the area upstairs prepared. He took a long sigh, and nodded, downing his fourth glass.

"Head to your quarter. Meet me on the quarterdeck in fifteen minutes. I'll be waiting there, and we'll induct you into the order. Once we've got the time, we'll find a Grand Master to give you the proper rites, but until then I'm able to give you a proxy membership."

Roger stood, and lifted his coat off the back of his chair, draping it over his shoulder. He held a hand to the door, smiling at Elizabeth.

"It wont be long."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

"Thank you, Admiral" Elizabeth said with a small bow before she grabbed her things, and made her way back to her quarters. She made sure that she was absolutely spotless for her induction. She fixed her hair, and made her way to the quarterdeck.

Elizabeth remained as quiet as a mouse as she reached the quarterdeck.

Roger stood, alone, with a great broadsword, holding onto the butt of it as it rested gently on the wood of the deck. On either side of him, two of the large lanterns used to illuminate the deck at night were lit - the only ones on the entire exterior of the ship right now. He'd asked the entire crew downstairs to eat and rest, it was best to keep this whole thing silent.

He wasn't dressed in the robes of the Admiralty anymore. He wore a great black robe, down to his ankles, thick and heavy and blowing in the wind. It covered his dark underclothes, and the black gloves covered his hands. His hair was down, and his scars seemed to be accentuated. He looked the woman over as she stepped forward, and he began the intitiation.

"Elizabeth Shay. Demon, Satan, Pirate. Dead, to those who do not know you now. You were a pirate, an Assassin. You hunted those you deemed enemies, and fought those who deemed you the same. You were shot, you were stabbed, you lost great things and many others. You were one of the last of a dying breed. But now, you are a Templar. The secret power that runs all conflict, commerce, corruptions, and cooperation, of the world."

He held up one hand, and in it, revealed a small ring. It was simple enough - iron, with a little engraving of a Templar Cross on its face. On his glove, he wore no ring; instead, the gloves themselves had symbols of the Templar Cross on each index finger.

"Please, hold out your hand."

As Elizabeth did so, he began to speak again, closing his eyes.

"Do not forget our purpose. We are here to guide those who do not know their way. We are here to protect those who do not know they need arms. We are here to save those who do not know they are threatened. By the light of the Father of Understanding, let your mind be guided by him, and may we usher in a New World."

Roger handed her the ring, and stepped back, looking at her. He took a long deep breath, and looked up to the sky. He drew up his sword and held it to his chest, exposing it for what it was in the light; a sword of gold, as long as his arm. A Sword of Eden.

"May the Father of Understanding Guide us."

He looked at Elizabeth, each eye separated by the blade, before smiling. He set it down and sheathed it on his belt, placing both hands on her shoulders happily.

"There. That should suffice."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth remained quiet throughout the ceremony. It seemed strange to her that there was no burning or other forms of bodily harm involved. The whole thing seemed noble compared to the Assassin's initiation ceremony which involved burning one's finger to a near crisp, and throwing oneself of the edge of a tall structure, praying that one does not spill one's brains on the floor.

Elizabeth held out her hand when she was asked to, and greatfully accepted the ring from the Admiral as he placed it in the palm of her hand. She slipped the ring onto her finger once the Admiral had finished his speech. Everything he said made perfect sense, unlike the Creed's motto.

"May the Father of Understanding Guide Us" Elizabeth said confidently, proudly even.

"I should hope so, Admiral" Elizabeth said with a smile. "It was definitely more civilised than the Assassin initiation ceremony" Elizabeth added as she revealed the burns on each ring finger. "Everything you said, made sense. There are no contradictions like there is with the Assassins."

"There's not meant to be. Why do you think people join this Order, but are born into the Creed? Why do you think even those born into end up with the Templars? It is an order of truth and of justice. There is no hiding in the shadows killing anyone you meet."

The Admiral smiled and looked out over the waters as the fire flickered and waved through the cool night air. He took a long breath, enjoying the moment, before looking back to Elizabeth.

"You'll make a fine Templar. I'm sure you will."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

"I hope so too, Admiral" Elizabeth said as she looked out over the water. She thought of everything she had done over the years. Blindly following orders, killing people who sought to create a new world while the Assassins were still clinging to an old world with ancient beliefs. "If I weren't so blinded by my hatred for Torres and what he did, I probably would have been a Templar from the start. But now I suppose I should see him as an ally." Elizabeth looked up at the sails, and smiled. "I've already thought of a few good men that will sail with me once I get my father's ship back. Have you ever heard of the phantom rite, Admiral? They are Templars I was tasked with assassinating, but they are alive as I spared their lives. Hid them from the Assassins. Do you think they'll make for some good crewmen?" Elizabeth had already decided that her father's Galleon would be renamed the Siren once it was under her command.

Roger nodded, looking out over the dark water ahead of them. He knew of them, even if only barely. He wasn't sure how they'd work as a crew; she didn't need soldiers and thinkers. She needed workers, loyal to the end. No ship survived without that. If she had a team of Templar's wandering about unsure of what to do, then she'd suffer a great confusion of power.

"They'd make fine soldiers. Not a fine crew, I don't imagine. That's even assuming they'd be willing to serve under you as their captain. You could bring them on, but I'd likely expect trouble. Unless you only take on a few."

He stroked his chin gently and sighed, scratching his cheek. He thought about a crew of Templars, and all he could think was what would happen if she by any chance turned against them, or had Assassins on board. Most Templars didn't hesitate to deal with their enemies.

"Mind you, you'd be safe. Just make sure you'd not waver from the Order."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

"You make a good point, Admiral. There's only about six of them. If I find them, I'll have a chat with them. Some of them are probably dead by now anyway." Elizabeth thought of all the men she had helped disappear; a few of them even left for the colonies to remain hidden. "Good crewmen will be difficult to find. But I've done it before, and I can do it again." Elizabeth took her Assassin ring out from her pocket, and considered throwing it into the ocean. She hesitated for a moment, and smiled as she finally threw the ring into the ocean. It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Even if she had to meet with Torres soon, she no longer had the urge to kill him. No. He was now an ally. She just hoped he had forgotten about the whole mess with her parents. "I will never turn against the Order, Admiral. If I did, I would never have been so eager to join the ranks of the Templars" Elizabeth said with a smile.


Morgana O'Reilly

"A Demon? What on earth do you mean?" Morgana was so confused, she felt as if her head might explode at any moment. "While I know that only a Demon would commit such a vile crime, and disappear so quickly... Elizabeth was the only one to do that, and she's dead! Isn't she?"

Roger nodded, and sighed with a smile. He looked at Elizabeth and patted her shoulder warmly, before making way by her.

"Come, let's return below deck. The crew needs to keep working, and you still need some time to rest, I think."

Roger descended to the deck and looked back up the stairs at Elizabeth, smiling up at her. There was something great about a near empty ship, it felt so open and welcoming, it felt like he was truly on the open seas, rather than on a floating tavern. He walked to the doors to the cabins and held them open for the female pirate, looking up at the masts. The British flag had been taken down. They were prepared for whatever could come in the next few days.

If they were caught, he doubted he'd be given the honour of imprisonment. He'd likely be tied up and thrown into the water. Though the war between there empires was over, the British and Spanish had an animosity almost unrivalled now. He only wondered when the next war would begin.

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth followed the Admiral, and bowed slightly as she passed him.
"Thank you, Admiral" Elizabeth said with a smile before she made her way to her room.

The door still showed signs of her breakout a few days prior, during her mental break. She made herself a Rumbullion, and began pouring herself into various books, logs, and ledgers. Altaïr sat at the edge of the desk while he ate some vegetation, and eyed Elizabeth. It almost seemed like the iguana was judging her. "Oh don't judge me, Altaïr."

Having, by some miracle, acquired at least three hours of sleep, Elizabeth made her way topside, and sat amongst the sails as she ate some tack. This was where she truly belonged, on the sea. The wind blew gently through her hair, and the young Templar smiled as she watched the sky slowly change from dark-blue, to a warm-orange. Clear skies lay ahead of them, but she was going to unleash her own storm on the Assassins.

Roger hadn't slept a wink. He sat at his desk, rubbing his head slowly. He hadn't gotten changed back into his Admirals uniform; he knew that they'd been sailing for nearly the whole night. They were nearing Cuba at a great speed, as the winds pushed them on, urged them on. He took a deep breath and stood, tucking his golden sword back in along with his sabre, and tucked two pistols into his belt, hidden beneath his coat. He walked out, and onto the deck.

"Helmsman! Have we spotted land yet?"

Roger climbed to the top deck, behind the wheel, and he saw the beautiful clear blue sky overhead. It was a fine day, and the cool winds exemplified that. He crossed his arms, simply enjoying himself and the fine moment. He had to admit, he felt better when not in that formal regalia.

"Yes, Admiral. We're less than four hours from Havana. I'd get our guest up if I were you."

Roger nodded and made way back to the cabins, heading to the large private one, and moving up to knock on the door.

"Elizabeth. I hope you're ready."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth watched the Admiral make his way below deck, and laughed. She may have left the Assassin Brotherhood, but she still knew all their tricks. She took the hook down to the deck, and made her way back inside.

"Of course I'm ready, Admiral. I've been up for a few hours now" Elizabeth said with a laugh as she snuck up behind the Admiral. She was armed with her old hidden blades, her husband's sword, her brother-in-law's gun, and the golden flintlocks she had received from Thatch. She even had her old boarding axes at her sides. Elizabeth was wearing her favourite new outfit. The red and gold trims on Hornigold's old coat took on a deeper hue in the light, and her mask granted her the appearance of a ghost. "Sorry about that" Elizabeth said as she looked at a few of the scratches near her room from when she broke out of her quarters. "I couldn't control myself. When you're under the influence of the Horsemen, you lose your mind. But I lost my mind a very long time ago. I once beat a man to death with his own severed arm. Not a pretty sight, apparently. I thought it was hilarious." Elizabeth said the part of her beating the man in a menacing voice, but chuckled as she said she thought it was hilarious. "He was a man who tried to force himself onto a woman. If he had tried the same thing with me, I would have ripped his throat out... with my teeth." Elizabeth went quiet, and chills ran down her spine as she recalled all her encounters over the years. There had only ever been one time where her assailant had proved successful, and she cursed herself for it. But she got her revenge by tearing him apart at the first opportunity she had. But the mental scar remained, and she was never the same after that day. "As for this door... I own a brothel down at Havana. When I collect the profits, I'll reimburse you for the damages I have caused during my stay."

Roger felt a bolt run up his spine when Elizabeth spoke. He was on edge enough as it was, not to have her skulking about and scaring him more than half to death. He took a long breath, composing himself as he looked at her and smiled. She began to apologise for some of her actions, and then speak loudly of previous ones, ones that didn't make Roger any more comfortable than he'd wanted to be. Eventually she made him a generous offer, and he was able to speak.

"That is kind, but unneeded. I'm meeting with Torres to discuss you, as well as further funding. If all goes well, I'll be able to pay for a whole new ship if need be. A door will be less than a blip."

The Admiral smiled as he led Elizabeth out to the deck, and laughed for a moment as he had a rather fine thought to himself, regarding a small statement that he most well heard from her.

"However, I'd not mind a short time in your brothel. Perhaps with a discount."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth had collected a small leather bag, and two books from her quarters before the Admiral led her above deck. Once she had collected the profits, she would need to record the profits from the brothel, and add them to the rest of her profits from other businesses.

Elizabeth almost fell over when the Admiral explained that he intended to make a trip to her establishment. She hadn't been to the brothel for a very long time, so she wasn't sure if it still looked presentable.
"That won't be a problem, Admiral" Elizabeth said as she wrote a short note, and handed it to the Admiral. "Just give that to the Abbess, Maggie, and she'll see to it that you're cared for at a fair price." Altaïr had been following her around the ship, and had only just caught up to her. "Sorry, Altaïr. I almost forgot about you. As soon as we reach port, I'll get you something to eat." Elizabeth hoisted the rather large iguana onto her shoulder, and smiled as the reptile basked in the sun. "At least you're easier to care for than Sentinel. Smaller too." After all was said and done, Elizabeth sat on the gunwale, and watched as Havana came into view. While the Admiral was off on his own, Elizabeth was going to do some work. She was going to start tracking down Assassins, and probably end up at the tavern as usual where she would attempt to drown her sorrows.

Roger tucked away the note, and stood at the bow of the Queen's Night, watching as Havana came closer into view. He stretched, and ran a hand through his hair - longer than when he'd last been here. Perhaps he needed to get a bit of a trim, he'd been clean shaven not long ago, and now he had a beard. He looked over to Elizabeth, and then to her lizard, and raised his brow.

"You may want to give that thing a new name. Altaïr wont exactly sail well with the people you intend to mingle with."

He'd always hated lizards. Cats and rodents weren't a big deal, but lizards? Disgusting aspects of the New World that he'd never been able to comprehend the love for. He didn't even like products made from them. He just thought them disgusting. But, at least this one was tame.

---

The ship moved in slow, as it came to a stop on the water. Roger put on his plain black hat and looked over to his pirate-Templar companion. He walked over to the edge of the ship, to look down at the row boat now lowered into the water. He held a hand out for her to get down to it.

"We'll row to Havana. That'll ensure no one notices this is a ship of the British, and will give us a way out if anything happens to go wrong. Even if a shitty way out."

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth followed the Admiral, and set the iguana on her knee as she sat down. She thought of what the Admiral had said about her iguana's name. She hadn't thought of the iguana's name for a while.
"I've been thinking about what you said, Admiral, about the iguana's name. Well, it didn't take long for me to think of a new one. What do you think of de Payens? I believe he was the first Grand Master of the Knights Templar, but I'm not sure of the Templar Order. Everyone always forgets de Payens, but they remember de Sablé." Elizabeth and the iguana seemed rather pleased at the thought of him being named after a knight.

"Ah, what is more remembered in this world, the good or the bad? The doctrines, or the myths? Hughes saw the documentation and conception of the Latin Rule when he mastered the Templars. He saw to it that the Knight's Templar had a code of conduct and action. He revolutionised it. What did Robert de Sablé do? He died and left a curse. Which do you think sounds better in tales and books?"

Stodd moved back and took hold of the oars, as the boatswain who'd kept the boat in place moved up to the hull, grabbed on, and kicked the rowboat out away from the man-of-war. Within a few moments, they were making steady progress towards the shore.

"What do people better recall; the epic tales, or the strict laws? It's just a case of preference. Even Altaïr suffers in that regard. Rarely is the man recalled for his realignment of the Assassins and their Creed. Oft is he recalled for his impressive ways with a blade. And, of course, for that gun of his."

The Admiral smiled. He remembered only little bits of that studying he'd done in England when he was inducted into the Templar Order, but he remembered enough. He sighed and watched as his ship sat still in the background, behind the woman across from him. He couldn't deny his fear that the crew would find his goals fruitless and simply leave him here in Havana, brand him a traitor, and left for dead...

Oh well. He had faith in them, and he'd not seen it waver yet.

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

"It's sad, really. In my first two years as an Assassin, I successfully completed over 420 contracts. Killed them all. But now I'm 'dead', not even a whisper of my name. But then again, I haven't been ashore for a while, so I wouldn't know." Elizabeth helped the Admiral with his rowing, and thought of everything she and the Admiral had said. Legends weren't born from mildness.

Elizabeth took a deep breath as she stepped off the boat. "I suppose you'll be off on your own now, Admiral. If so, I'm going to get something to eat" Elizabeth said as she pointed to a few drunken pirates sitting around a fire, and roasting some fish. She was so glad to be on land again. "However, if not, then lead the way. But I'll be here if you need me."

Roger nodded and moved close to her, close enough to speak only in a whisper. He didn't trust the Spanish as far as he could throw one, and though he was strong, he couldn't throw them very far. He'd tried.

"Enjoy yourself, sailor. Just make sure you don't do anything to inconspicuous, like perhaps raise the news of a dead demon walking."

With that he moved on, into the bustling and busy city, and past the crowds and the eyes, and into the realm of the no one. He knew that Flint, one of the prime Templar agents in the city, was dead. He knew too that the Assassins were tightening their hold in the city. If he couldn't make it to Torres, he'd need to find someone else to talk to. Anyone, really - he needed money, and he needed their word. And above all else, he needed to get a book. A very special book.

Elizabeth "Demon/Satan" Shay

Elizabeth watched as the Admiral disappeared, and smiled beneath her mask. She calmly sauntered off to join the group of drunken pirates, and ate a roasted snapper. She heard some interesting stories from the pirates, and laughed with them as they shared some rum. Elizabeth wandered through the streets of Havana, and took a walk around the harbour before she eventually ended up at her brothel, and locked herself in the office with two bottles of rum, and a box of Spanish gold.

"Remember, not a word of this to anyone" Elizabeth growled as Dawson left the office. Dawson simply nodded before he disappeared, and Elizabeth returned to her rum and her weed. She sat there quietly, and balanced the books before she took her money, and books, and left for the tavern.

Elizabeth pulled up a seat at the tavern counter, and watched a fight as she sipped at her Rumfustian. If the Admiral went looking for her, the tavern was where she could always be found. God alone knew she needed a friend to speak to, but she was 'dead'. She was so thankful for the mask she was wearing as it hid her tears.

Stodd sighed, rubbing his head slowly. He sat on one of many benches within the large estate owned by Torres, sitting happily on the west side of Havana, patrolled by countless guards and, of course, 'workers'. He looked at the slaves in the fields and sighed, setting his hat down on the seat. He'd been told Torres was out on an 'expedition' looking for something, and he'd had to leave his requests with the mans advisors. He didn't like that one bit, leaving requests for monetary aid and the official admission of Shay into the Order with a bunch of angry old bureaucrats, and Spanish ones at that.

After a while he stood back up and the Admiral, hiding as a mercenary, made his way out into the city. He didn't like spending time in a place like Cuba, but at least it was colourful. The buildings looked nice, the people seemed happy, a very different feel to Kingston, that much was certain. He kept an eye out for a brothel - he remembered that Elizabeth owned it. Or, well, whoever she was pretending to be was there, Elizabeth was dead. He sighed, wondering how she was handling the whole thing.

It wasn't long before he'd found the brothel. He'd stopped at a store, and bought himself a third gun of Spanish design, before heading to the fine establishment. He looked around, and took a quick sniff.

"Opium. Lovely."

He headed into the brothel, and looked around, prepared for a fun ending to his time here.

Damian climbed out of the Tavern, slightly intoxicated. Sure, he might end up paying for drinks he could just drink by himself, and not have to pay for it at all, but where's the drunken brawls in that, or the wonderful and ingenious yells of drunks? That's what made it a good time, no matter who got hurt. Well, most of the time it was fun, other times, you woke up naked in an alley way. "I'll be back... I dunno, tomorrow, probably undressed. Or I might get lucky, and return early." He said to Tiago, as he went out the door.

"Know what... why go to a Tavern... when I can go on a ship... and sail to another tavern... and hear new stories." He wondered, as he walked down the streets of Ingua. Technically, since the whole 'Temporary Pardon' thing was in place, he could head to any of the big islands. If not, then, well, more bastards would be gone. He stepped onto his ship, and sat on a chair near the wheel. "Alright, we're taking this ship to Havana. Havn't had Havana rum since... well, I can't remember. Something about their rum... it's different, more of a taste to it. Plus, it's the only place that looks decent in the West Indies." The Helmsman nodded, as the ship set sail, leaving the cluster of Islands, and headed West. There would be nearly no stops, so they had to get there quickly, and they seemed to understand as the ship went into Full-sail.