The birth of a demon: Elizabeth Shay's story

[OOC: I decided to write more about Elizabeth and explain her backstory in detail. There should be a new post every day. Anyway, enjoy.]

"Edwin, she's only six, she's not old enough to sail on a ship."
"Nonsense, Amanda, she'll do just fine. I promise you she will not leave my side" Edwin said as he lovingly placed his hand on his wife's shoulder.
"Fine."
"Mummy, Daddy, what's wrong" the little girl asked as she joined her parents in the parlour.
"Nothing, sweetie. Mummy is just concerned for your safety at sea" Edwin said as he picked his daughter up.
"I'll be okay, mummy. I'm a big girl and I'll be able to look after daddy."
"I know you are, Elizabeth. You're our daughter, one day you might even surpass us in skill" Amanda said as she handed her daughter a small, wooden sword.
"We'll be gone for a month, stay safe, love" Edwin said as he kissed his wife farewell.
"Eew" Elizabeth laughed.
"Why don't we head down to the harbour, together?"
"Alright."

"Bye mummy, I'll see you soon" Elizabeth shouted from the deck of her father's ship, the Liberator.
"Bye Lizzie, look after daddy for me" Amanda replied as she waved farewell to her family. Amanda watched as her supplies were loaded onto an assassin schooner bound for Tulum. It had been five years since she was last there, an she decided it was time for her to return.

"Daddy, what are the men singing" Elizabeth asked as she listened to the men sing a rousing shanty.
"They are singing a shanty called "The Wild Goose". Do you like it?"
"Very much so, but what is a shanty?" Edwin laughed, "A shanty is a work song, it helps the men do their jobs efficiently. The rhythm and the call-and-response lyrics keep them coordinated."
"Are there more shanties" Elizabeth inquired.
"There are many shanties."
"Will you teach me?" Elizabeth looked up at her father, pleadingly.
"If he don't, then we will." Elizabeth turned to face her father's quartermaster, "Thank you, mister Johnson" she said with a little curtsey.
"You're most welcome, miss Shay" Johnson replied as he bowed to the young girl who was dressed in brown pants, a white shirt, and a calico waistcoat. Edwin Shay looked at his daughter, her black hair waved in the wind and her black tricorn hat almost took off.
"Daddy, do you think mister Johnson would be able to teach me to fight like a pirate?"
"I don't know. What do you think, Johnson? Will you teach my daughter to fight like a pirate?"
"Aye, captain Shay" the quartermaster replied before he turned his gaze to young Elizabeth, "Why don't you go put your hat inside while I get some swords." Elizabeth squealed with joy and raced off to her father's cabin.

"What are those?"
"They are practice swords," Johnson said as he placed the swords on top of a barrel, "they are dull so they won't hurt you. Mister Dumont will teach you how to use the rapiers tomorrow, but I will be teaching you today."

Edwin watched as his daughter sparred with one of the shorter men, taking an occasional break so Johnson could point out Elizabeth's faults and correct them. She was a fast learner, by the time they returned to Nassau, she was able to confidently wield a blade and stand her ground.

"How was the trip, Elizabeth?"
"It was wonderful, mummy. Daddy taught me about shanties and how to sail a ship while mister Johnson and mister Dumont taught me how to fight. Daddy even bought me my own swords while we were in Havana" Elizabeth said excitedly as she set her swords on the table.
"That's wonderful to hear. Why don't you go out to the garden and practice with the training dummy, I'll be with you shortly." Elizabeth nodded her head and raced out the door.

"Any news?"
"It's just as well you got her those swords, she will need them. It seems your old friend Torres is looking for you. He's coming for us, Edwin, he's going to kill us. If he finds out about her," Amanda paused to look out the window at Elizabeth, "he would kill her, Edwin."
"We've done all we can, love."
"I know, but we can't protect her forever. We can, however, prepare her" Amanda said as she left the room.

"Elizabeth, come here for a moment. I need to speak with you."
"What is it, mummy" Elizabeth asked as she joined her mother on the bench.
"You know what I am, don't you?"
"You are an assassin."
"And you know what your father used to be?"
"Daddy used to be a templar, a sworn enemy of the assassins."
"Very good. Now listen very carefully. One of your father's old colleagues, Torres Laureano, is very angry, he doesn't like it that your father left the order..."
"Is he going to kill you and daddy?" Amanda froze at her daughter's question, despite her young age, Elizabeth knew enough about templars, assassins, and the world in general to know what was bound to happen.
"He probably will" Amanda said as she hugged her daughter, "If he does, I need you to go to a place called Tulum. I have some friends there who have agreed to train you."
"Well I won't let Torres hurt you or daddy, I'll fight him" Elizabeth said as she wiggled free from her mother's embrace.
"No, you need to hide. Your father and I have made sure that Torres doesn't know about you, and that is how it will stay until you are old enough. Now enough about all this, why don't you show me what Dumont and Johnson taught you" Amanda said before she stood up and grabbed a practice sword.

"Don't you think you're pushing her too far, love? She just turned seven a month ago."
"I am well aware of her limits, Edwin. She needs proper training if she is to stand a chance" Amanda said as she sat on the wingback chair in the parlour, "Maybe I should send her to Tulum."
"You are not sending our daughter to Tulum! She's too young for that level of training. She will not survive!"
"And what are her chances of surviving here? At least at Tulum, she'll get the training she needs to survive and she'll be under the protection of the assassins" Amanda replied calmly.
"Look, it's been almost a year now. Maybe Torres has forgotten?" Amanda flicked her wrist continuously, retracting and revealing her hidden blade, "Unlikely. Never the less, we must be ready for anything."

Edwin sat on the bench and watched as Amanda trained with his daughter. For the past year, Elizabeth had been trained by both her parents, and the pirates. While it was a pleasant feeling to know that his daughter could wield a sword, he hated that her training was a necessity and that her well being depended solely on their competency as trainers.
"That's enough for today, why don't you go clean off? We'll head down to the tavern later for dinner." Elizabeth wrapped her swords in some cloth before she raced inside.

There was a furious pounding at the door, "Edwin Shay!"
"Is that Laureano Torres" Elizabeth asked as she clutched at her mother's robes. Amanda knelt down and looked into his daughter's eyes, "Whatever happens tonight, I need you to know that your father and I love you so much, we will never leave you, Elizabeth." Amanda hugged her daughter before she stood and drew her sword, "Now go. Hide!"
"No, I'm not leaving you!"
"Just do it!" Elizabeth opened the window, jumped out, and hid in a bush.

The door almost flew off its hinges when Laureano and his men burst into the room.
"What do you want, Torres" Edwin snarled at the templar. The templar let out a small chuckle, "I see the assassin has robbed you of more than your loyalty. You used to be a well mannered man of good social standing, now look at you."
"She has taken nothing from me!" Amanda fastened her grip on her sword and glared at Torres.
"Why don't we settle this in a civilised manner."
"Nothing involving you is civil. Now get to the point or get the hell out of our house!"
"My my, how unladylike. I don't know what you see in her, Edwin."
"What I see in her is none of your concern. Now what do you want?" Torres examined a crystal decanter filled with whiskey, "You cost the order a great deal of money with all those slaves you freed and your betrayal has more than doubled your debt. Well, I have come to collect what you owe me."
"I don't have the money to cover your losses."
"Who said anything about money" Torres laughed as he and his men drew their swords.

"Mummy. Daddy. No" Elizabeth whispered quietly as she watched her parents fight the templars. She wanted to help them, but she knew they would kill her too. She cried softly when her mother looked out the window and smiled before Torres thrust his sword through her chest. Amanda looked down at the blade protruding from her chest, her white robes slowly turned a deep red.
"Amanda!" Edwin fought with the fire of a thousand demons until he too, was slain.
"Consider your debt, paid" Torres laughed as he wiped the blood from his blade.
"What should we do with the bodies, master Torres?"
"Burn them, and the house too. Make it look like an accident." One of the men kicked Amanda's body to Edwin's side, and threw a lantern onto the corpses.

Elizabeth watched her home go down in flames. Uncertain of what to do, she stayed in the bushes and cried herself to sleep.

When Elizabeth awoke, all that was left of her home was a pile of ashes and some beams that were still standing. She knelt down beside her parents and cried softly.
"I'm so sorry, mummy. If I were just a few years older, I would have helped you. I could have saved you, but I couldn't" Elizabeth sobbed as she held her mother's charred corpse. She took her mother's hidden blade and attached it to her wrist using some string before turning to her father's remains. "I'll miss you daddy" she whispered as she removed his ring and threaded it onto her necklace.

Elizabeth spent the better part of the day digging a grave for her parents, and the rest of the day burying what was left of her parents.
"Requiescant in pace" Elizabeth whispered as she set a single flower on the grave of her parents.

"Excuse me, mister harbourmaster. Do you know where I might find the Liberator or her crew?"
"They're gone."
"Gone? What do you mean they are gone? What happened?"
"A man came around last night and took it. He said it was his."
"Did you get his name" Elizabeth asked as she looked at the ships in the harbour.
"I think his name was Torres."
"Great, now how am I to get to Tulum?" Elizabeth turned to the harbourmaster and asked him how much it would cost to hire a sloop for a week. She was heartbroken to hear it would cost her 5000 Reals.
"Thank you for your time, sir."

Elizabeth wandered through the town, looking for a friendly face or one of her father's old crewmen that she hoped had been left behind.
"Oh shut it" Elizabeth groaned as her stomach rumbled. She searched her pockets for any coins she might have lying around. "Ten Reals? If I'm careful with my spending, that would get me about five portions of junk. If I only have one meal a day, that would last me five days." Elizabeth made her way to the tavern and pulled up a chair at the tavern counter. "Excuse me, ma'am, could I please purchase a plate of junk?"
"Certainly. That would be two Reals" the barmaid said as she handed Elizabeth the plate of salted pork.
"Thank you, ma'am" Elizabeth replied as she gave the barmaid two coins. Elizabeth nibbled at a piece of junk before she emptied the plate's contents into her pocket and ran off.

"I'll need weapons" Elizabeth thought as she walked back to what was left of her house, nibbling at a piece of junk. Sure the junk tasted awful, but it was sustenance, something to keep her alive.

Elizabeth rummaged through the ruins of her home, searching for her swords.
"Daddy always said a good sword should have a name. I think I have finally decided on some names" Elizabeth thought as she picked up her swords. "Edwin," she said as she put the mini broadsword into its sheath, "and Amanda" she continued as she put the mini rapier into its holster. Elizabeth looked around the ruins of the house for something she could use as a dagger. "I suppose you'll have to do" she mused as she picked up a pair of scissors and snapped it in half using a heavy rock to help her. "The handles are a nice touch. I suppose you'll be needing names too," Elizabeth mused as she examined the blades, "I think I'll call you Ghost and Davy." Elizabeth looked around the ruins of her home for anything she would find useful, all she could find were a few more Reals. "I suppose I should find some place to stay until I can find a way to get to Tulum."

Elizabeth made her way to the swamp and observed her surroundings, "That should do it" she thought when she saw a small island surrounded by crocodiles. She scaled a tree and jumped from branch to branch until she reached the tree on her chosen island. "I guess I won't be staying on the ground" Elizabeth thought as she looked at the crocodile resting in the sun. Elizabeth examined the tree's branches and raced back to the town.

"What can I do for you, young lady" the storeowner asked as Elizabeth entered his store.
"How much would 12 meters of 10 millimetre rope cost?"
"About fifty-six Reals."
"I only have 58 Reals" Elizabeth said sorrowfully. The storeowner looked at Elizabeth for a moment, "Sorry, miss, but I can't sell it to you for anything less than 56 Reals."[/color]
"Alright" Elizabeth groaned as she handed the coins to the storeowner.

"I may be absolutely broke, but at least I'll have somewhere to stay" Elizabeth rumbled as she tied the rope to the branches to make herself a bed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but you won't be eating me anytime soon" she chuckled as she glared at the crocodile.

Elizabeth tossed and turned as she lay in her makeshift bed, desperately trying to get some sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her parents die, again and again, like it was God's cruel way of reminding her how weak and useless she was. But, by that point, Elizabeth had given up on God. Elizabeth looked to the horizon, the moon was still beaming down in full force, and the distant lights of the town were being turned off individually at a very slow rate. "Since I'm obviously not going to get any sleep any time soon, I may as well get to work" Elizabeth thought before she raced through the treetops to the harbour.

"An old sloop? Judging from the smell, it must be a fishing vessel" Elizabeth thought to herself as she found a lone sloop anchored at one of the docks. The stench of fish grew worse as she neared the sloop. Elizabeth looked around and made sure nobody was watching as she boarded the sloop and stole a net. "If they really needed it, they should have locked it away" Elizabeth mused as she ran back to her tree to deposit her supplies.

"What may I get for you this morning" the barmaid asked as Elizabeth took a seat at the tavern counter.
"Another plate of junk please" Elizabeth replied as she handed the barmaid two Reals. Elizabeth emptied the plate's contents into her pocket and set off for the day.

Elizabeth wandered through the town, nibbling at a piece of junk as she examined her surroundings. Most of the townsfolk were still nursing a hangover from the night before, save for a few people. Elizabeth noticed a group of women walking towards her, she could hear the jingling of coins in their pockets. "One Real won't get me anywhere, but the money it sounds like they are carrying, well, that could get me junk and tack for the next week." Elizabeth quickly stuffed the junk into her pocket and pulled out one of her blades. "I'm terribly sorry about that, miss" Elizabeth said as she bumped into one of the women.
"Cutpurse! Somebody stop her!"
"Oh lay off" Elizabeth shouted as she raced back to her tree.

"I see you're still here" Elizabeth shouted to the crocodile who was still enjoying the sun that fell on her island, the crocodile seemed to hiss in response. "Fat and lazy creatures," Elizabeth rumbled as she set about tying the fishing net into the tree, "but they are smart as hell. Hiding in plain sight, just like the assassins. My own personal guard, it'll come in useful if I ever get chased around one day." Elizabeth crawled back and admired her work, the net's rigging was far more secure than the simple rope she had slept on the previous night. "Now that that's all taken care of, I can finally focus on finding a way to Tulum. Of course, there's the issue of food and supplies too. I'm sure the people of Nassau will be more than generous with their... donations." Elizabeth sat in her newly crafted bed and counted her coins, "15 Reals? It's not bad, but it's not good either. I'll wait until tonight before I head out again, until everyone is completely wasted. Until then, I could probably try hunting some rabbits while I wait."

Elizabeth calmly sat in a tree at the edge of the swamp, waiting for a rabbit to pass beneath her. "Just like mummy taught me" Elizabeth thought before she jumped down on the rabbit, firmly wedging Ghost and Davy into the rabbit's skull. Elizabeth gathered some wood and built a fire near the town to cook her rabbit with. "I suppose I could earn a few Reals by selling some rabbits down at the store. Although, I'd probably profit better by hunting crocodiles, but they do come in handy" she thought as she ate the rabbit. Elizabeth set some small traps before she headed into town for the night.

"Easy pickings" Elizabeth thought to herself as she approached some men that had already passed out from drinking. The men hardly noticed the tiny hand that slowly snaked into their pockets, taking every coin that they owned. "50 Reals? This'll be easier than I thought" Elizabeth chuckled quietly as she headed to the tavern.

"More junk" the barmaid asked as Elizabeth took a seat at the tavern counter.
"No thanks. Just a bottle of your cheapest rum, please."
"Aren't you a bit young?"
"My age is of no concern to you, madam. I am a paying customer just like the rest of these fine people" Elizabeth retorted.
"Alright, that'll be 20 Reals." Elizabeth slammed the coins on the counter, grabbed her bottle of rum, and stormed off to the swamp.

"I suppose I should encourage that old crocodile to stick around a while longer" Elizabeth thought to herself as she plucked the squealing rabbits from the traps. She tied all the rabbits together by their ankles and returned to her tree. The old crocodile had finally left the island, whether she liked it or not, Elizabeth knew she needed that crocodile. "Time to make yourself useful" Elizabeth said to the rabbit as she tied the rabbit to a long piece of rope, made a small incision along its leg, and lowered it towards the water. The rabbit bounced around in a desperate effort to get away from the water, "That's right, struggle, it will only attract the crocodiles!" The water near the rabbit started to ripple before the crocodile jumped out of the water and ripped the rabbit from the rope. Elizabeth fell into a fit of laughter before she repeated the procedure with another rabbit, the old crocodile greedily accepted Elizabeth's offering. "If you stick around, there's another two rabbits in it for you" she shouted to the crocodile. Elizabeth crawled into her bed and examined the bottle of rum. "Not bad," she mused as she sipped the rum, "but I suppose I shouldn't drink it all in one go." She tried to go easy on the rum, but it was just so delicious, she couldn't help it.

"Christ, feels like there's a cannon going off in my head" Elizabeth whined as she clutched her head. One of the crocodiles let out a long groan. "Oh shut it, I know it's my own fault! You don't have to be so bloody rude about it" Elizabeth moaned as she glared at the crocodile. Elizabeth lay in her hammock for the better part of the day, contemplating the recent events that had transpired. She was slowly starting to realise that life was difficult at the best of times, and now that she no longer had anybody to assist her, life had become all the more difficult. Even with all her training, she still wasn't ready to become an assassin. Sure she knew how to hunt, how to kill without remorse, which plants were to be used for healing and which were used in poisons, but she was still an amateur in every aspect. The only thing she excelled at, was freerunning.

"That's better" Elizabeth thought as she nibbled at a piece of ginger on her way to the store.
"How may I be of assistance" the storeowner asked as Elizabeth entered the store.
"How much will you give me for these" Elizabeth enquired as she threw two dead rabbits onto the counter.
"80 Reals each." Elizabeth nodded her head, accepted her pay, and headed to the tavern for a plate of salmagundi and another bottle of rum.

[OOC: This post may not be suitable for sensitive readers. Contains moderate swearing and a near rape encounter. I apologise if anyone finds this work offensive.]


"Evening, Sentinel" Elizabeth said as she jumped down from her tree and landed near the crocodile. The large reptile let out a long groan as Elizabeth set her hand on his snout, "I know, I'll bring you a boar later" she chuckled in reply. Elizabeth looked at the crocodile and smiled, she still remembered the day she found him, the same day the old crocodile was taken down by a hunter. Sentinel was the smallest of his clutch, had a gimpy leg, probably a birth defect, and he was left blinded in one eye after an incident with another crocodile. Elizabeth looked after him and, in turn, Sentinel guarded her island. "See you later, Sentinel" Elizabeth said as she raced up the tree and headed into town.

"What can I do for you?"
"Christ, Maddie! I've been coming here for seven years and you still ask me that question. The usual please." The barmaid looked at Elizabeth and smiled, "Sorry, Elizabeth. Force of habit." Elizabeth handed Maddie 35 Reals and poured herself a glass of rum.
"How much?"
"Excuse me" Elizabeth asked as she turned to face the man. Maddie just shook her head and looked away, she knew what was coming.
"I said, how much." The stench of his breath was unbearable, sickening, to say the least.
"You think I'm a whore" Elizabeth asked angrily, the man nodded his head in response before repeating his question. "My body is not for sale," Elizabeth shouted as she hit him over the head with a bottle, "prick" she spat as she kicked him in the groin before returning to her rum and steak. Maddie looked at Elizabeth sternly, "What? He was asking for it." Maddie laughed as she cleared away Elizabeth's plate as Elizabeth finally left with her bottle of rum and her pocket full of junk.

"Christ, that's probably the twelfth one in the past two days" Elizabeth chuckled as she walked down the street looking for some people to pickpocket. The attacks had started about three years ago after she had started to develop a more womanly figure. Now that she stood nearly 1.7 meters tall with a body that put even the finest dancers in Nassau to shame, the attacks were becoming more frequent. However, she always sent them crawling back to their miserable holes, looking worse for the wear.

"Look what we have here, lads. A pretty little thing right for the picking."
"Come back for more, have you? Like I said before, my body is not for sale!"
"That's why we intend to take it, for free." Elizabeth spun around and froze when she saw the men, they were the same men who had been trying to have their way with her over the past two days and their leader was the same man whom she had dealt with earlier. They had closed in on her, leaving her with no possible way to escape so Elizabeth pulled Ghost and Davy from their hiding-places. "Well would you look at that, it seems the cat has claws," the drunk laughed, "pin her down!" The men rushed at her simultaneously, and knocked her to the ground. They laughed as their leader approached her, they were every bit as drunk as him.
"Don't you dare" Elizabeth snarled as he grabbed her shirt. The drunk sneered as he ripped off her shirt and cut off her stay, "Now why do you keep such beauty hidden under such disgusting garbs." She knew what was about to happen, they were going to rape her, all of them. She thrashed about violently in protest, she would have screamed, if it weren't for the filthy hand covering her mouth. "Don't struggle, you'll only make it worse for yourself" the drunk laughed as he attempted to remove Elizabeth's breeches.
"No! I will not let this happen" Elizabeth mused before she bit her assailant's hand. Remembering her mother's hidden blade, Elizabeth flicked her wrist and plunged the blade into the neck of the man who was leaning over her. She managed to break free and raced off to the swamp, with the surviving drunks chasing after her.

"Sentinel," Elizabeth shouted as she raced up a tree and freeran to her island, "Sentinel!"
"Quit your goddamned howling, you filthy whore! Nobody's gonna hear you" one of the men shouted as they swam through the murky water. Elizabeth loaded her rifle and shot one of the men in the head causing him to drop like a stone. Elizabeth searched desperately for her darling Sentinel as she reloaded her rifle. Multiple ripples in the water caused her to lower her rifle and smile. Elizabeth dropped her weapon and jumped down from her tree. She let out a sharp whistle and Sentinel led the attack, followed by ten more angry crocodiles. Screams of agony echoed through the swamp as the crocodiles ripped the men apart, limb by limb. Elizabeth fell to her knees in a sobbing mess.

Sentinel rested his head on Elizabeth's foot and groaned. Elizabeth lifted her head and wiped the tears from her red face.
"Thank you, Sentinel" she whispered as she stroked the crocodile's snout lovingly. Elizabeth sobbed softly as she lay beside the crocodile for an hour, clutching him the same way a child clutches a toy or a parent. Sentinel growled when an arm floated past the island. "They weren't boars, but they certainly were pigs" Elizabeth chuckled weakly before she climbed the tree, and lay in her hammock, "See you in the morning, Sentinel." Elizabeth covered herself with the skins of the rabbits that she had hunted over the years and fashioned into a blanket. She couldn't sleep, but then again, sleep was a rare occurrence for her. Elizabeth nursed a bottle of rum as she watched the sun rise, crying all the while.

"Christ" Maddie shouted as Elizabeth entered the tavern covering herself with the rabbit skin blanket, "What in God's name happened to you?"
"I don't want to talk about it. Just get me a bottle of rum please, Maddie."
"I'm not serving you while you're dressed like that. Come with me, I'm sure I've got something for you to wear" Maddie said as she held Elizabeth and led her out of the tavern.

"You fixed them" Elizabeth inquired as Maddie handed her the clothes that had been ripped from her the previous night.
"Aye, but you won't be wearing those old rags anymore. Try this on for size." Elizabeth took the corset from Maddie and headed to a separate room to change.

"Thank you Maddie, it's wonderful" Elizabeth cried as she hugged Maddie.
"Thank goodness. I was worried you wouldn't like it. I know it's a bit risqué, that's why I want you to take this." Elizabeth took the jacket from Maddie and tried it on.
"A perfect fit" Elizabeth laughed, "How much do I owe you?"
"Don't be daft. You don't owe me a cent and I don't want anything in return. Now why don't we get you that bottle of rum?"
"That'd be grand" Elizabeth laughed.

"Evening, Elizabeth."
"Evening, Maddie. Why the long face? Something wrong" Elizabeth enquired as she took her usual seat at the tavern counter.
"Some men have been walking around Nassau asking for you. One of them seems to express a keener interest than the others."
"Is he a Spanish gentleman" Elizabeth asked as she poured herself a bottle of rum.
"Nay, one of those freed slaves. Here he comes." Elizabeth watched as the man took a seat at a table.
"Better see what he wants" Elizabeth chuckled as she grabbed a bottle of rum and headed to the table where the stranger was seated.

"Who are you, and why have you been looking for me" Elizabeth asked as she held Ghost against the stranger's throat.
"Little Elizabeth Shay? My how you've grown!"
"Answer my question, or I'll use your guts to clean the floor! Who are you, and why have you been looking for me?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten the face of a man who trained you." Elizabeth looked into the eyes of the strange man before her and dropped her blade, "Johnson? Is it really you?"
"Aye. It is."
"Where the bloody hell were you, and why didn't you come sooner" Elizabeth shouted as she slapped Johnson across the face.
"That Templar bloke,"
"Torres?"
"Sounds about right. Anyways, he came along, stole the Liberator, and did away with most of the crew. He sold me back into slavery, I was rescued in a pirate raid near six months ago. I would have come sooner but they aren't the most understanding people."
"Tell me, Johnson" Elizabeth began as she poured her old friend a glass of rum, "Do you like your current crew?"
"Not in the least. They find more pleasure in drinking than pillaging, most of them are probably passed out from drink by now. Why do you ask?" Elizabeth looked at Johnson with a devious smile, "How do you feel about sailing under the command of a Shay once again?"
"It would be an honour, captain Shay." Elizabeth ordered some food and drink for the two of them, and ate as they caught up on the past seven years.

"So, Johnson, tell me about this ship you sailed in on. What is she like" Elizabeth asked as she walked to the docks with her old friend, and a bottle of rum.
"She's a bit run down, but I reckon she could be a monster if we had the proper resources. Speaking of the old girl, there she is." Elizabeth looked at the brig Johnson had pointed to, "Are you kidding? That's the wreck you sail on?"
"Aye. She's a bit banged up, but at least the worms haven't gotten to her." Elizabeth covered her face in dissapointment, "She'll have to do. Sorry to say this, but I'm going to have to dispose of the crew and get new men."
"To be honest, I don't care what happens to those men. I'll go around and gather some men looking for work," Johnson said as he looked at Elizabeth and smiled, "I know you'll be able to handle this on your own."

"I was hoping for more of a challenge" Elizabeth mused as she silently climbed up the jacob's ladder to the crow's nest of the main mast. Elizabeth tied a noose from a bit of rope that she had taken to keeping with her. "Come on, just a few more steps" she whispered as she watched a drunk crewman stagger along the deck below her. She quickly threw the rope along his neck and jumped down from her hiding place, hoisting the drunk into the air. Elizabeth quietly crept along the deck, silently killing any of the crewmen who had passed out, and checked their pockets for loot. "Now for the difficult part" Elizabeth thought to herself as she snuck below deck.

"Christ! Smells like something died in here" Elizabeth mused as she crept along in the shadows. Two men seemed to have passed out during a game of draughts, Elizabeth slit their throats before she examined the board. "I win" she chuckled as she jumped a piece.

"I see all your training paid off" Johnson chuckled as he and some men joined Elizabeth on deck.
"I had good teachers. Who are these men?"
"This is the new crew of the Char. Most of them are ex-Navy." Elizabeth walked amongst the men and inspected them before she returned to Johnson's side before the men.
"I have no doubt that most of you will not accept me as captain. I can assure you that, if you sail under my command, you will be handsomely rewarded with rum and plunder beyond your wildest dreams."
"And how are we to know you are a captain that will lead us to victory" one of the men asked.
"You don't. But if you don't follow me, you'll end up like them" Elizabeth answered as she pointed to the bodies scattered along the deck. The man looked at the corpses before he turned his gaze to Elizabeth, "Seems fair enough. Not like we're doing anything here anyways."
"Good. We set sail at sunrise."

"So, captain, where are we headed?"
"It's a place called Tulum, in the Yucatan peninsula."
"We'll need to repair the Char before we tackle those waters." Elizabeth looked out over the water and smiled, "We'll do that when we get there. I've waited long enough to go there, and I will not delay it any further."
"Aye, captain." Elizabeth turned to her crew, "Well don't just stand there! Get to work! I want every scrap of duck on the wind!"

"Brig to starboard, captain!" A wide smile crept onto Elizabeth's face, "Ready the cannons, lads. Let's show them what we're made of!" The men cheered as they raced to their posts, eager for their first battle.
"Are you sure you want to do this, captain? The Char's not fit for battle."
"It'll be alright, Johnson. If we don't take that ship, this old girl might not make it to port."
"Cannons ready, captain."
"Fire at will. And for the love of God, don't sink her!" The battle that followed was fierce, but short lived.

"Show no mercy" Elizabeth shouted as she and her men boarded the enemy brig. Johnson looked on in pride as he watched Elizabeth fight, she was every bit as skilled as her men, she fought like an animal.
"Seems I taught you well, captain."
"Aye, Johnson. We'll need to have a duel one day" Elizabeth chuckled as she hacked away at her enemies.
"Lay down your weapons! We are defeated!"

"Not a bad looking brig" Elizabeth chuckled as she examined the brig. It was in much better shape than the Char, even after the battle. "Look. I have a proposition. I'll let you keep your lives in exchange for your ship. How does that sound, Johnson?"
"Sounds generous, captain."
"So what'll it be? Your ship, or your lives" Elizabeth asked as she cleaned off her swords, "Either way, I get this ship."
"I'd take the offer if I were you." The captain nodded his head and headed for the Char.

"Pleasure doing business with you, captain" Elizabeth shouted as they sailed away from the Char, "By the way, I lied!" Elizabeth looked at the crewman manning the mortars and nodded. The Char couldn't survive more than two hits from the mortar before she sunk into the waters below.
"But, captain, they surrendered."
"Aye, Johnson, but I need to keep a low profile until we get to Tulum. Besides, the Char would have sunk in a matter of days. Fetch the carpenter, I have a job for him."
"Aye, captain."

"You called for me, captain?"
"Aye" Elizabeth replied as she handed the helm to Johnson, "This brig needs a new name."
"What would you call her, captain?" Elizabeth looked into the water below and watched as a shark swam peacefully below her, "Tiger Shark."
"I'll get right on it, captain." Elizabeth turned to Johnson once the carpenter had taken his leave, "I'll be in my quarters, nobody is to disturb me unless we are under attack, or we have reached Tulum" Elizabeth said as she headed to her new quarters.

"Finally, a room to myself" Elizabeth laughed as she locked the door behind her. Elizabeth cried when she saw a bed nestled in the corner of the room, "I can't remember the last time I slept in a bed" Elizabeth groaned as she threw herself onto the bed, "And the pillow, it's so soft." Elizabeth kicked off her boots and curled up under the sheets.

"Captain Shay, we have arrived at Tulum."
"Thank you, Johnson" Elizabeth said as she fixed her hair and left the brig, "None of the men are to leave the Tiger Shark until I return."
"Aye, captain. Stay safe."

"Who are you and what are you doing here" an Assassin asked as he grabbed Elizabeth by the wrist. Elizabeth swallowed hard, she knew she could go up against pirates but Assassins were something else entirely.
"My name is Elizabeth Shay, and I am here to speak the Master." The Assassin noticed the battered hidden blade fastened around Elizabeth's arm, "Very well. I shall take you to speak with our Master."

Elizabeth clutched at her father's ring and followed the Assassin through the camp and the jungle until they finally came to stop at a grand temple.
"Master, this child wishes to speak with you" the Assassin said with a bow.
"Thank you, Ikan. You may leave." Elizabeth watched as the Assassin took his leave.

"Tell me, child, why have you come to this place?" Elizabeth removed her mother's hidden blade and set it before her as she knelt before the Master Assassin, "Amanda Shay, has fallen."
"I assumed as such" the Master Assassin said as he turned to face Elizabeth, "Rise, child, so that I may see your face." Elizabeth slowly stood up and looked into the eyes of the Assassin. "You are your mother's daughter. You have the same eyes. Tell me, child, what is your name?"
"Elizabeth Shay."
"Very well, Elizabeth. I am Ah Tabai."
"It is an honour to meet you, Master." Ah Tabai laughed at Elizabeth's reply, "You need only call me Master if you are an Assassin."
"That is the other reason I have come, Master. I wish to learn the ways of the Assassins, to train as my mother once trained, to become a sister of the Brotherhood." Ah Tabai smiled, "I will grant your wish. You will be tested tomorrow so that I may determine the length of your abilities as I assume you had some training from your mother. After that, you will begin your training."
"Thank you, Master." Ah Tabai called Ikan back, "Find this child a place to stay as well as some robes." The Assassin bowed before turning to Elizabeth, "Follow me."

The room was small and dusty with almost no furniture to speak of. There was a reed mat rolled up next to a pedestal with a large bowl of water perched upon it, "This is your room and it is to be kept clean and organised. You will be provided with four sets of standard white robes for the first year of your training, after which you may choose to continue with the white robes or make your own. If you do not hunt, you do not eat. I suggest you get some sleep. I will come for you in the morning." Elizabeth watched as Ikan disappeared into the night.
"I suppose I really should try to get some sleep" Elizabeth rumbled as she cast her weapons aside, unrolled the mat, and tried to get some sleep.

"It is time for your test" Ikan said as he threw some robes at Elizabeth, "I will return for you in five minutes."
"Well aren't you just sunshine and happiness" Elizabeth grumbled as she put on her new white robes and grabbed her weapons. Elizabeth inhaled deeply as she joined Ikan outside, the crisp night air filling her lungs.
"Come. The Master waits for you at the temple." Elizabeth nodded her head and followed Ikan. The Assassins eyed her cautiously and spoke amongst themselves, they spoke about Elizabeth, and from what she heard, they did not like her at all.

"Master, I have brought the Shay child for her tests."
"Thank you, Ikan. You may leave."
"Yes, Master" Ikan answered with a bow before he left the Master's chambers. Ah Tabai turned to face Elizabeth and smiled, "Your mother was an expert at freerunning, that is why we called her, Angelus autem arborum, angel of the trees. There is an Assassin hiding along the course, he will be holding a scrap of cloth. You must find him, chase him, and retrieve the cloth from him. You have half an hour to complete your task. Now go!" Elizabeth bowed to the Master Assassin and set off for the trees.

"Come on, Templar child! If you think you can catch me, you are sorely mistaken" the Assassin yelled as Elizabeth approached him. Elizabeth did not think much of the Assassin's mockery, she thought it but a simple jest to encourage her. Her heart pounded in her chest as she chased the Assassin through the treetops. "Do not think that you are welcome here, Templar" the Assassin growled once Elizabeth had finally caught him.
"My father was a Templar, not I" Elizabeth replied as she took the cloth from the Assassin, and raced off.
"The child of a crocodile is a crocodile all the same!"

"Here is the cloth, Master" Elizabeth said as she handed the fabric to Ah Tabai.
"Very good, Elizabeth, and with five minutes to spare."
"Thank you, Master."
"You may rest for an hour before your next test."
"Thank you, Master" Elizabeth said with a bow before she left for her room.

"This is a bated blade," Ikan said as he threw a sword to Elizabeth, "You are to use it against your opponents."
"Opponents?"
"You will be fighting the brothers and sisters of the Creed at the arena. To succeed, you must last more than five minutes against your opponent. There will be a total of ten rounds. The number of opponents that will join you in the ring will increase after every two rounds until you are fighting a total of five opponents at once" Ikan explained as he led Elizabeth to the arena at the foot of the temple.

"Begin" Ah Tabai ordered in a raised voice. An Assassin nodded his head and leapt into the arena with Elizabeth. The Assassin was far more skilled than the men Elizabeth had fought before, she wasn't surprised. The Assassins were known for being some of the most skilled warriors in existence, so fighting an Assassin was not easy.
"She shows great promise. No newcomer has ever made it to the fifth round."
"Indeed" Ikan said coldly as he watched Elizabeth's desperate attempts to fight off three Assassins. At that point, Elizabeth was no longer fighting the Assassins, she was running from them.
"I have seen enough. The test is over" Ah Tabai said once Elizabeth collapsed due to exhaustion.

"You have done well, child" Ah Tabai said as he handed Elizabeth a glass of water.
"Thank you, Master." Elizabeth downed her drink and looked at Ah Tabai, uncertain of what she should do next.
"You may return to your room. Training starts once the birds begin to sing." Elizabeth made a small bow and left for her room.

Elizabeth stared at the ceiling as she ate the last of the junk that she had in her pocket. She thought of the way the Assassins had treated her and what they had said to her. She didn't think that being the daughter of a former Templar would affect her relationship with other Assassins. "Maybe this is how they treat all newcomers" Elizabeth thought to herself as she nibbled at her final piece of junk.

[OOC: I will now be making this a weekly thing. I apologise for any inconveniences caused.]

"Come, your training starts now." Elizabeth grabbed her weapons and chased after Ikan.
"Where are we going" Elizabeth asked as she caught up to Ikan.
"Master Ah Tabai has ordered me to teach you how to use a bow. Normally I would train newcomers at the targets, but I have something different in mind for you." She probably should have taken the sinister tone in his voice as a warning.

"Those are both your targets and your breakfast" Ikan said coldly as he pointed to a group of rabbits and threw a bow and some arrows to Elizabeth's feet.
"Wait! So I'm just supposed to pick up a bow and know how to use it? You're not going to show me how to use it?" Ikan chuckled evilly, "Why should I, Templar?"
"Because Master Ah Tabai---"
"Well Ah Tabai is not here, is he?" There was a sick and twisted grin on Ikan's face as he watched as Elizabeth attempted to take aim at the group of rabbits. Once Elizabeth had the rabbit in her sights, she took a deep breath to steady herself but Ikan threw a stone at the rabbits causing them to scatter.
"What did you do that for" Elizabeth moaned as she glared at Ikan.
"I didn't do anything" Ikan chuckled.
"Yes you did! You just chased away my breakfast!" Ikan rushed at Elizabeth and pinned her against a tree by her neck, "The only reason you are still here is because of Ah Tabai! Do not think that you are welcome here, Templar!" Ikan snaked his arm around Elizabeth's neck and grabbed the back of her robes, "I think it is time that you learn your place among us, Templar." Ikan stabbed a sleep dart into Elizabeth's neck and carried her further into the jungle.
"But I'm not a Templar" Elizabeth groaned weakly as she faded into unconsciousness.

"Where... Where am I" Elizabeth moaned as she finally awoke. She felt some rocks digging into her knees, she tried to move her arms but they were fastened to two poles by the wrists. "What's happening" Elizabeth asked, her voice thick with fear. An Assassin mumbled something has he walked past her.
"Tear off her robes!" Elizabeth's eyes widened in horror as two Assassins approached her, "No. No! Not again!" Elizabeth thrashed about violently in a desperate attempt to escape, it only caused the ropes to cut into her wrists.
"Would you look at that, the beast thinks herself a dragon!" Elizabeth couldn't distinguish how many people had laughed at the statement regarding her tattoo, but she estimated that there were more than ten people there.
"I told you that you are not welcome here, Templar. You should have left while you had the chance." Elizabeth finally recognised the voice of the person who was snarling at her.
"What do you intend to do, Mentor Ikan" Elizabeth asked, her head hung low. Her question had driven Ikan into a rage.
"I will never be the Mentor of a Templar" Ikan roared as he let loose his six strikes upon Elizabeth's back. Elizabeth made the mistake of crying out in pain as the whip met with her flesh.
"I told you, I'm not a Templar!"
"Lies" Ikan shouted as he struck Elizabeth another four times. "You are of Templar blood! The child of a crocodile is a crocodile all the same!"
"Please! Stop!" Ikan stopped flogging the young woman, and smiled before he handed the whip to the next Assassin.
"Remember, ten strokes each. We don't want her to pass out halfway through and deny the others the pleasure of her cries."
"Please don't do this, Mentor Ikan." Ikan smiled before he kicked Elizabeth in the gut, causing her to gasp for breath.
"Remember this night, demon! For you will suffer the same treatment every day until you leave this place."
"I will never leave" Elizabeth shouted at her Mentor, and every other Assassin in the room.
"Then it will never stop."

"Shit! Hey, are you alright?" A deep growl escaped Elizabeth's throat at the sound of the foreign voice. She had been tied up for three days, beaten every night. Her back was covered with blood from all the wounds that had come from the lashings. "Let's get these ropes off of you."
"Back off" Elizabeth snapped, her eyes filled with a seething hatred.
"It's alright, I mean you no harm." Elizabeth growled as the stranger began to untie her bindings. "Here, you'll need this" the strange young Assassin said calmly as they handed Elizabeth an old rum bottle filled with water.
"Let me guess, you've poisoned it?"
"I told you, I mean you no harm." Elizabeth carefully smelt the contents of the bottle before she took a few sips of its glorious contents.
"Who are you" Elizabeth asked weakly before she took another sip of the water.
"Name's Mary Read."
"Elizabeth Shay" Elizabeth answered as she took the Assassin's outstretched hand.
"Come on, let's get you to my room and see to those wounds." Read helped Elizabeth to her feet, and led her to her room.

Elizabeth glared at any Assassin that they passed on their way to her room.
"Don't pay any attention to them, Elizabeth" Read whispered as they crept back to Read's room, using the bushes for cover.

"Why are you helping me" Elizabeth asked as Read soaked a cloth in some water, and cleaned the blood from Elizabeth's back.
"Should there be a reason for one to help someone in need? Christ! They really did a number on you." Elizabeth had been flayed so severely, pieces of skin were peeling off. "I can't do this" Read said shakily as she looked at Elizabeth's back, "I need to take you to the healer."
"No! No Assassins or their healers. There's a chest on my brig. If you can bring it to me, I can talk you through the procedure." Read nodded before she raced off to find Elizabeth's chest.

"You really need to tell Ah Tabai about this."
"What, and give them more reason to hate me? No thank you" Elizabeth said coldly as Read attempted to stitch up the wounds. Some pieces of skin had fallen off, so Read had to apply some of Elizabeth's ointments to the wounds before she applied a bandage. The ointment soothed her aching flesh for a while, and when the pain returned, she ignored it.

Over the next few months, Elizabeth was flayed one night every week, and beaten daily. The Assassins had made it clear that they didn't want her there, that she wasn't welcome. But Elizabeth made it clear that she refused to leave.

"You called for me, Master" Elizabeth asked with a bow as she joined Ah Tabai.
"Yes, my child. You have done well in your training. What takes others years to achieve, took only a matter of months for you. Tomorrow you will be tested so that our brothers and sisters may see what you are capable of."
"Thank you, Master. I must ask, why did you wish for me to meet you here, in the temple?" Ah Tabai let out a small laugh before he led Elizabeth through the temple.

"A long time ago, before humans came to exist, there was a precursor race. The first civilisation. They left many artifacts behind, some too dangerous to be wielded by mere mortals" Ah Tabai explained as he pushed open a heavy door, and led Elizabeth further into the temple.
"I think I've heard of the precursors and their artifacts in the stories that mother used to tell me. Altaïr and Ezio were in possession of artifacts called apples of Eden, were they not?"
"Yes, my child. I'm sure you also know that they possessed the sight."
"The sight" Elizabeth asked, she looked very confused.
"Do you see things differently? Do see things that others cannot?" Elizabeth paused for a moment as she thought of what Ah Tabai had asked her.
"I do, aye. But I can also hear and smell things that others cannot." Ah Tabai stopped dead in his tracks. "This cannot be! She is but a child! How can she possess not only the sight, but the sense as well at such a young age?!  And with no training" Ah Tabai thought to himself, slightly alarmed by Elizabeth's answer. "Then you are truly gifted. You must never tell anyone of your abilities. I need you to promise me!" Elizabeth couldn't understand why her Master looked so alarmed, but she promised that she would not tell anyone of her gifts.

"I have kept this chamber a secret for many years, much like my father before me" Ah Tabai explained as he felt his way around the dark room. "Do you think you could help me with this?" Elizabeth looked around the room until her eyes came to rest on a large glowing statue.
"Master, what exactly am I looking for?"
"A small statue of an eagle's head. When you find it, I need you to push it into the wall." Elizabeth made her way to the statue, and did as she has told, causing the wall to open up to a brightly illuminated room.

"Most of this was already here, but we have added to the collection over the years. These are all artifacts left by the precursors." Elizabeth looked around the brightly illuminated room, staring at the relics before her, and the mountain of rings.
"Why are you showing me this?"
"You'll figure it out soon enough. You are welcome to come here whenever you want, and study them. Now let's head back, you will need to rest before your test tomorrow."
"Yes, Master" Elizabeth answered as she followed her Master as he led her out of the temple.

Elizabeth grabbed her weapons, and raced to the temple courtyard where the Assassins were waiting for her. Most of the Assassins had their usual expressions of disgust and hatred reserved for Elizabeth, but she only payed attention to Read, and Ah Tabai.

"Since you donot trust our sister, she will be forced to prove herself to you." Elizabeth lowered her hood, and placed her hands on her chosen weapons; her boarding axes. "There are ten Assassins hiding amongst the trees, each holding a scrap of white cloth. Find them, catch them, and bring all ten cloths to me. You have one hour." Elizabeth drew her hood, and raced off at the signal.

"Again, you have done well, my child" Ah Tabai said with a smile as Elizabeth handed him the bundle of cloths.
"There were eleven, Master" Elizabeth said calmly as she handed Ah Tabai a red strip of cloth.
"Very good" Ah Tabai whispered before Elizabeth returned to the centre of the courtyard. Throughout the day, Elizabeth completed a variety of tests, including the killing of a Panther with nothing but a dagger, but now she had to take on twenty-five of Tulum's best Assassins.

"Can't you do better than that" Elizabeth laughed as she threw an Assassin out of the arena.
"ENOUGH" Ikan shouted once Elizabeth had defeated her opponent. "Mentor, I wish to challenge the Demon child." Ah Tabai shook his head, and gestured for Ikan to enter the arena "She is no Demon." Ikan pulled his whip from its holster as he let out a sinister laugh. While the sight of the whip had scared her once, Elizabeth had conquered her fears a long time ago.
"Shall we dance" Elizabeth chuckled as she threw her weapons aside. Her taunt worked, and Ikan rushed at her. Elizabeth quickly stepped aside, and kicked Ikan in the back as he missed her. "Try again." Ikan threw his whip aside, and decided to take a more hands on approach.

"I'll kill you for this, Templar" Ikan coughed as Elizabeth held him to the floor, his arm twisted behind his back.
"I'd like to see you try, Assassin" Elizabeth said coldly as she twisted her Mentor's arm, ripping it from its socket, "And I've told you before, I am not a Templar." Ikan lay in the dirt, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"You have done well, my child. I look forward to your initiation tomorrow night."
"Thank you, Master" Elizabeth said with a bow before she raced off with Read.

"Come on, Lizzie, we're going to be late!"
"I'm coming" Elizabeth chuckled excitedly as she grabbed her weapons, and drew the hood of her new black robes. She was so excited that she was finally going to be initiated into the Assassin order.
"Why don't we take the trees?" Read looked around for Elizabeth. "Lizzie?"
"Well? Are you coming, or no?"
"You're a crafty one, Elizabeth, I'll give you that" Read laughed as she joined Elizabeth in the trees, and they made their way to the temple.

Elizabeth was glad to see that it was only Ah Tabai who was waiting for them at the temple; she wasn't too keen on seeing the rest of the Assassins.

Elizabeth took her place before the brazier, and looked at the only people who had come for her initiation ceremony; Ah Tabai and Mary Read.

Ah Tabai stepped forward silently, "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. These words have guided us for centuries, since the founding of the of the Assassin Brotherhood." Ah Tabai looked to Read, his eyes calling her forward.
"Where others believe the lies without question, where others blindly follow the truth, remember..."
"Nothing is true" Elizabeth answered as she looked into Ah Tabai's eyes.
"Where others are limited by morality or law, remember..."
"Everything is permitted."
"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins." The small group collectively chanted "Nothing is true, everything is permitted." Ah Tabai approached Elizabeth while Read approached the fire, and pulled a pair of red-hot tongs from its depths.
"We are not as we once were, but that does not make our seal less permanent. Are you certain you are ready to join us?"
"I am, Master."
"Then you are one of us now" Ah Tabai said as took the tongs from Read, and clasped them around Elizabeth's finger briefly before he returned the tongs to the fire.
"Normally they flinch in pain, some even shout out, but you're something else, Elizabeth."
"Indeed" Ah Tabai said warmly as he handed Elizabeth her new hidden blades. He watched in pride as Elizabeth fastened the blades to her wrists, flicked her wrists, and smiled as the blades slid out effortlessly before disappearing once again.
"There's still one more thing we need to do before you can be considered a true Assassin, you're going to love this. Come on, Shay." Read and Ah Tabai scaled the temple wall with Elizabeth close behind. Ah Tabai was the first to perform a leap of faith, and Read followed shortly after, laughing as she fell. Elizabeth looked at the night sky, closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and threw herself off of the building.

"I told you you would love it" Read chuckled as she helped Elizabeth from the pile of leaves.
"You did, aye." Elizabeth was all too glad that she had finally become a proper Assassin, and she was going to take on her first contract as soon as she returned to Nassau.

"There she is, lads. Good old Nassau" Elizabeth shouted with a beaming smile as she led the Tiger Shark into port. They had only left Tulum four days ago, and already she had taken two brigs and a few schooners.

"Johnson!"
"Aye, captain Shay?"
"I need you to sell all the sugar, and all but four heads of rum. We'll also need to make a few upgrades. I'll be at the tavern with Kidd if you need me" Elizabeth explained before she jumped onto the dock.

"Oi! You there!" Elizabeth groaned, and turned to face the man calling to her.
"What do you want" Elizabeth growled as she drew her hood.
"Are you the captain of that fine brig" the British officer asked as he pointed to the Tiger Shark. Elizabeth silently examined the group of twelve British officers.
"I am, aye. What's it to you?"
"The ocean is no place for a woman. In the name of King George, I order you to surrender your ship."
"How about you surrender your ship? Even better, why don't you surrender your souls" Elizabeth roared as she freed her boarding axes from their holsters, and openly attacked the British officers. She laughed like a maniac as she hacked away at her enemies. A small group of men managed to catch a glimpse of the brawl before it ended as quickly as it began. "Pillocks" Elizabeth spat before she proceeded to loot the bodies, before finally heading up to the tavern.

"Did you see that?! She took down twelve of 'em by herself!"
"I did, Ben, aye" one of the men said calmly as he examined one of the corpses.
"She deserves a drink for that."
"Aye. Let's go welcome our guest" Hornigold chuckled before he led the small group of men up to the tavern.

"Elizabeth Shay? My God! You're a sight for sore eyes."
"It's good to see you too, Maddie. The usual, please" Elizabeth chuckled as she set a few coins on the counter.

"That was quite an achievement back there. The lads and I figured we'd welcome you to Nassau, and congratulate you on your achievement" Hornigold said warmly as he placed a tankard before Elizabeth. Elizabeth pulled her hood further over her face, and peered up at the group of men.
"The other way 'round, mate. I should be welcoming you." Elizabeth smelt the drink she had been given before she downed it.
"Why would that be?"
"Well, I've lived here for the past fifteen years or so" Elizabeth said coldly as she put her feet up on the table, pulled the cork from her bottle of rum, and finally looked up at the group of men. "Now whom do I have the pleasure of meeting?"
"Name's Benjamin Hornigold. These fine men are Jack Rackham, Edward Thatch, and Charles Vane" Hornigold said proudly as he gestured to the group of men beside him.
"I see you've met the others then."
"And that is the bastard son of the late William Kidd. James Kidd." Kidd took a seat beside Elizabeth, and grabbed the bottle of rum after he elbowed Elizabeth's ribs.
"Name's Elizabeth Shay" Elizabeth said coldly as she lowered her hood.
"My God! She's beautiful!"

"Liz, a bird has arrived for you" Kidd said calmly as he joined the pirates at the Old Avery, "Jaysus, get a room you two."
"Oh rot! You're just jealous" Elizabeth chuckled after she broke away from the rather heated kiss she was sharing with Hornigold. Almost a month after they met, Elizabeth and Hornigold developed a relationship.
"We just had a room." The men couldn't help but laugh at how red Kidd's face had turned. Kidd rolled his eyes, and handed Elizabeth the scroll.
"Is this a joke?"
"No. Now hurry up and get a move on!"
"I'll see you soon, love" Elizabeth said with a smile before kissing Hornigold farewell, and racing off to the Tiger Shark.

"Christ, I can't believe you did it! Nobody has ever made the rank of Master Assasin in just under two years" Kidd laughed as he stood beside Elizabeth at the helm of the Tiger Shark.
"I can't believe it either. How many contracts have I taken?"
"437, but you failed 32 of them" Kidd answered as he flicked through a book. Elizabeth had kept a log of every contract she had ever taken, and a separate log for every ship she had stolen. "You should be proud of yourself, Lizzie. If it weren't for those hallucinations of yours, your results would have been much better."
"Aye, but you know I can't help them" Elizabeth chuckled as she handed the wheel to Johnson, "Get us to Tulum."
"Aye, captain." Elizabeth grabbed a bottle of rum and took a swig before she handed it to Kidd.
"Whatever happened to that Ronaldo Cortez fellow? The contract from last month."
"He lost his bloody arm thanks to you" Kidd explained as he examined the bottle of rum before finally deciding to take a sip.
"At least he'll put up less of a fight the next time someone tries to take him out."

Elizabeth and Kidd had chosen some fine silk from the cargo-hold for her Master robes before they locked themselves in the captain's quarters, and celebrated Elizabeth's achievement with any drink they could find. The crew, however, was restricted in their drinking; Elizabeth insisted that at least half of the crew was to remain sober at all times.

"Captain Shay, Tulum has been sighted. We should be there within the hour."
"Aye, Johnson."

Elizabeth looked at the Assassins that hated her, the ones that once flayed and beat her, and she smiled. They were all ordered to be there for the ceremony, for her promotion. Some Assassins had warmed up to her, some even accepted her, but now a few of them had grown to respect her.

"Brothers and sisters, we are here tonight to recognise the achievements of our sister, Elizabeth Shay. In only two years, she has done more than all of you" Ah Tabai announced with an air of authority. "She has mastered the skills that every Assassin should have, and she has completed well over fourhundred contracts. Today, she becomes a Master Assassin." Ah Tabai turned to Read, and she brought forward Elizabeth's Master robes. Two Assassins stepped forward, and removed Elizabeth's plain black robes, before Read helped Elizabeth into the new Master Assasin robes. Ah Tabai threw a Master Assassin ring into the brazier.
"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent. Hide in plain sight. Never compromise the Brotherhood."
"Now tell us what you understand of the Creed's maxim."
"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. To say that nothing is true is to realise that the foundations of society is fragile, as is the mind. To say that everything is permitted, is to say that we are the masters of our own destiny. We must suffer the consequences of our actions, be they glorious or tragic." Ah Tabai smiled, and gestured to the brazier. "Go, my child, and take what is yours. Become not only the master of your destiny, but a Master of the Assassin Brotherhood." Elizabeth reached into the fire, pulled out the burning ring, and slipped it onto her finger. She watched as the flames licked the skin around the Master Assassin ring, and smiled. She had worked hard for this, and now she had finally become a Master Assassin. Elizabeth scaled the temple, and smiled as the rest of the Master Assassins joined her. "Congratulations, Mistress Shay" Ah Tabai said with a smile before all the Master Assassins, and Elizabeth, took a leap of faith, and landed in the water below them.