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Cute Silly Short Stories of House of Kenway

Summary:

A series of cute silly short stories concentrate on House of Kenway, where everyone lives, or at least almost everyone.

So far, I have finished:

1. The moment Jenny almost decides to like her younger brother Haytham, almost.

2. Edward Thatch, the Blackbeard, visits Kenway House, and Jenny is amused.

3. A failed Mohawk langue teaching from drunken Edward to drunken Haytham.

4. Edward: I love you, Son. Haytham: … I love your, Father. Edward: No, I’m not asking you answering me, I’m asking you to speak after me.

5. Mary Read carries Jenny’s letter to the Kenway House, and Edward is going to have a heart attack.

6. Haytham shows Connor the portraits hang in their house in Queen Anne's Square.

7. Haytham talks with Jenny once they finally find her.

8. Lady J... Jenny?!

More to be added. Enjoys.

Notes:

I am not an English native speaker, so you may find some odds or wrongs, do feel free to tell me if you find any.

Chapter 1: Jenny Decides to Keep Hating Baby Haytham

Summary:

Baby Haytham wants to show his little support to his sister.

Chapter Text

Re La, Re Mi, Fa Re.

Jenny was playing her father’s favorite song on piano, Lowlands Away, while Edward was playing with baby Haytham at the back.

Actually Edward was trying to teach baby Haytham walking, but in Jenny’s eyes, he was just playing with him. Come on, that baby is just 10 months old, he can’t even stand on his fat feet properly.

 

“Father, I don’t want to play piano any more!” Jenny closed the piano lid, turned back to face Edward.

“Alright, tries to do some stitchworks then?”

“No! I don’t even like it!”

“But it is a young lady should have leanred…” Edward said, finally tore his attention from that brat, before Jenny cut him off.

“No!”

“Alright, what else do you want to learn?” Edward asked his daughter quite receptively, didn’t mind her attitude at all. He always felt guilty for the girl, and he would give her anything she ever wished, as long as…

“How about swords? Could you teach me?” She wanted to try her father again.

“No, Jenny, we have talked about this, sword work is not for a young lady like you.” Edward refused. He would give her anything she wished, he will give her anything she wished, but swords is far too dangerous for a girl like her, and he wanted to keep her safe.

“No! I don’t want to be a lady! And I want to learn how to play sword!” Jenny practically bristled.

Edward sighed and was about to give his rejection again, yet baby Haytham seemed quite supported his big sister, judged from the big smile on his little face, nodding and babbling cheerfully, surprised both Jenny and Edward, before he tried to clapping his fat little hands, then lost balance, fell on his face, and cried loudly.

 

To be honest, Jenny was practically going to accept the baby, even considered to like him, before he ruined it completely.

Now look at the mess. Edward was fumbling helplessly, trying to stop the baby's crying, totally forgot his another child.

Great. Jenny rolled her eyes, decided to keep hating baby Haytham, and sulking with Edward, before she stomped out of the noisy room, startling a maid in the passageway.

Chapter 2: Edward and Thatch and Edward Thatch

Summary:

It’s normal to name your son with your friend’s name, but when you have to use the same friend’s name to name your dog too, well, that’s awkward, for your friend and your son.

Notes:

In the game and the book, Blackbeard's name is Edward Thatch, I can't find the right tag.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

“Jenny, Haytham, you guys need to do me a favor.” Said Edward.

Jenny remained silent, using only eyes to show her inquiry, while Haytham was just… “What ever you need, sir.” Well, that.

“One of my best friends is going to visit us, tomorrow.” Edward continued.

Her father’s voice sounded tighter than his normal self, as if being nervous, so Jenny remained her silence, in the meanwhile Haytham was being that joyful idiot, as always.

Jenny ignored her younger brother, waited for Edward to continue again.

“And I want you, both of you, to never say the name Thatch, during our meeting tomorrow.” With his last word getting out, his Irish hound barked immediately.

“Why?” Jenny confused.

“Because our guest’s name is Edward Thatch, and you may call him Edward when you meet him.”

“The Blackbeard?” Haytham’s excited sharp voice rose, incredibly, along with the dog’s bark.

“Yes, and your middle name is actually from him.” Edward smiled, petted his son’s head, soft black hair curled under his palm.

“So… You names your son with Edward Thatch’s name,” Jenny drawled, looked at her father’s face, waiting until she saw the man began to unease, along with the dog’s bark, she gave her next smite. “And your dog too?”

He genuinely didn’t see that coming, and with saying it aloud, by which Jenny just made it sound even worse, Edward began to feel a sense of unease and something like guilt.

“No… It’s… It’s different…” He tried to defense himself, before he found he himself wouldn’t believe his bullshit, so he tailed off and turned his head slightly, avoiding his daughter amused gaze, which just let himself meet his own son’s trusting crystal blue eyes. That sense of unease and slight guilty came back, he opened his mouth, preparing to try again, before…

“It’s alright, sir! I don’t mind, I like Thatch, and I’m sure I will like Mr. Thatch too!” Said the angelic little Haytham, along with the dog’s tireless bark.

“Well, good, but remember, Haytham, and you too, Jenny, don’t say the name Thatch during our meeting.” Edward looked his son and daughter closely, ignoring the dog’s barks, until he got both of his children’s promises.

 

The Blackbeard was quite impressive, Jenny admitted, but apparently her little brother was more impressed than her.

“The Blackbeard is going to stolen your son away.” She drawled wryly, leaning on the back of sofa, seeing her brother just climbed on the other pirate’s lap, kept asking around.

Edward laughed. “If only he can, I don’t really mind.”

 

Nearly two hours later, those three Edwards were still talking about their ships, golds, pirating - well, mainly two Edwards were, the other Edward was just listening absorbedly and asking for some details on occasion.

Jenny began to feel bored and a little sleepy, so she turned her head absently, then found the dog Thatch was somehow in the room.

“Ah, Tha… Sounds the dog wants to get out.” She almost let that name out, but thanked to her wit she mended it with style.

“Ah, well, yes… Jenny, walks her off, if you pleased?” Edward caught his daughter’s near-lapse instantly, as well as realized her tiny uninterest, before he dismissed her.

“Of course, Father.” She rose from her chair, went to the dog and led it out of the room. She needed some fresh air and stretch her legs.

 

As she approached the door, something suddenly occurred to her.

So she turned her head back to take one last glance at the other pirate, who had a long, curly black hair, then at her black haired brother, whose hair was a tad mess and crimp after the Blackbeard had pet him on the head, and then she looked down at the Irish hound wagging tail by her legs,whose black fur was curly and gleaming.

“Come, dog.” Jenny remained her face straight, before she walked the dog out with herself, silently amused.

Notes:

Jenny is a cute little evil, I like her being this!

I’m not sure if Haytham’s middle name truly form the Blackbeard, but you can find the dog’s name in Forsaken, which truly is Thatch.

Chapter 3: Ra-ton-ha What Now?

Summary:

A failed Mohawk langue teaching from drunken Edward to drunken Haytham.

Chapter Text

Jenny and Edward quarreled again, or, to be specific, it was Jenny who picked a quarrel with Edward, before she left and went for Mary Read, or Anne Bonny, maybe, Haytham wasn’t sure.

In the meantime, Connor was being unreasonable again, and before Haytham had the chance to prove he is right, as always, Connor had to attend to some business of his helpless cause, only increased Haytham’s foul mood, but he said nothing and watched the boy off.

 

Now, Haytham and Edward were the only two in the estate, and the late autumn night in Virginia was quite peaceful, so Haytham found his fine brandy and a bottle of Edward’s Rum, before he proposed the two of them to have a little drink and enjoyed the night together.

After some small talk, Edward brought up the minor altercation he had had with Connor earlier. Don't want to worry his father, Haytham just gave Edward a cursory description of what happened.

“It’s not neither of your’s fault, Haytham.” Edward sighed, finished his own drink.

Haytham preserved his opinion inward, passing a new bottle of rum to Edward.

“I know you, Haytham, and I know Ratonhnhaké:ton too.” Edward sighed again, but before he continued, he found his son had narrowed his eyes and frowned heavily. What…?

“You don’t know Connor’s real name?” Edward asked a little bit too shocked, totally forgot to take care with his own son’s ill feeling.

“No, but I know now.” Haytham took a sip - or sips - to conceal his even more foul mood.

 

When Connor backed home late at the night, only to find two drunken British men lying on the sofa in their living room, mumbling something suspiciously like his Mohawk name, an empty brandy bottle from his father’s collection as well as a lot of equally empty rum bottles randomly on the floor.

Connor sighed heavily.

 

When Connor finally came to his father, after he got his grandfather back to his bedroom firstly, Haytham already fell asleep.

Sighed again, he reaches out and held up his father, surprisingly, Haytham was much more heavier than he appeared. Not bad for an old man, Connor thought as he climbed stairs.

As he settled his father under the blankets and was about to leave, the older man just stirred, eyelids fluttered before shutting again, mumbled something he didn’t catch.

“What’s wrong, Father?” He bent to his father, tilted his head closer. He didn’t wait long, the older man said again.

“I love you, Son.” The British man’s voice was thick with his drunkenness and sleepiness, made ever word he said stuck with each other. But Connor understood it nevertheless.

Connor looked at his father, decided to stay there for a while, until he fell back to sleep again, or in case he said another something, so Connor wouldn’t miss it.

For which, he did, and Connor heard it loud and clear.

That another something Haytham said was, as Connor recalled, I love you, ah-tem-ha-gay-tuu.

Connor blinked, then burst into laughter, made Haytham stir again, before he could actually wake up the older man, he tried very hard to suppress his laughter under his breath, though it took a lot of efforts of his.

When he finally reduced his laughing into a wide smile, Haytham slept soundly, so Connor gently adjusted the other man’s blanket, made sure he stayed warm and comfortable.

Before he left, Connor took another look at his father. I will teach you when you are awake, Father. He said to the older man in his heart.

Chapter 4: I Love You, Son

Summary:

The cutting dialogues from Chapter 3.

Notes:

Please, try to imagine their drunken voice when you read this chapter.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

…….

H: Father, I can’t, I’m too drunk. I can’t even find my own tongue.

E: Come on, Haytham, you are not yet drunk now, you just finished half of your bottle. Here, take this, it’s better than yours. Now, follow my lead one more time…

H: No, I can’t, I really can’t.

E: Alright then, let’s start with the easiest. I assume you haven’t say anything of love to him, right?

H: (Nodded. Took a big mouth of rum Edward just gave him.)

E: Alright, let’s do this. I love you, Son.

H: … I love you, Father?

E: No, Haytham, I’m not asking you answering me, I’m asking you to speak after me. Here, let’s do it again, I love you, Son.

H: … I love you… Son.

E: Good. Aright, let do it again, with more ease this time. I love you, Son.

H: I love you, Son.

E: Excellent! Now, let’s continue. I love you, Ratonhnhaké:ton, Ra-ton-ha-gay-toon.

……

……

H: I can’t, I can’t, I really can’t…I really… can’… Um…t. 

E: One more… time… I love you… Ra-den-ha-gay-ten.

H: I… Love you… Ra-ge-ha… ge… Hm… tem?

……

……

E: La… ten…

H: Ah… tem…

E: La…

H: Ah…

……

……

Notes:

Praise Edward and his brilliant idea, this family wouldn’t hold up together without him.

Chapter 5: A Letter from Jenny

Summary:

Mary Read carries Jenny’s letter to the Kenway House, and Edward is going to have a heart attack.

Notes:

Sorry, I still haven't read the book AC Black Flag, so I'm not sure if this Mary canon or not.

I also haven't played AC Liberation and AC Freedom Cry.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

“Nice house, Kenway.” Mary Read paced in lazily as if she were at her own house.

“Finally here, Mary! Have you seen Jenny?” Edward led her into a chair, looked worried.

Instead of answering immediately, Mary chose to observe the delicate embossing on the fancy chair’s armrests first.

“I have.” Mary answered in a flippant tone, before Edward going really mad.

As Edward was about to ask where, however, Haytham and Connor showed up, drawing Mary’s attention away, again.

“Who’s the boy, little Kenway? Another Kenway?” Mary asked Haytham rather playful.

“Good morning, Ms. Read. This is my son, yes, but his people do not have the custom of using surnames. So, you may call him as Connor.” Haytham said, settling himself into another chair at Mary’s right side, opposite to Edward.

“Ah, so you are the new Mentor of the American Brotherhood? Fancy meeting you here. James Kidd, I’d prefer you call me this, from West Indies Brotherhood by the way.”

After Connor’s Nice to meet you too, Ms. Kidd and Mary’s exaggerate eyebrow raising as her response, Edward finally got his chance to ask where. “Where is Jenny? Tell me.”

“I don’t know, but she left a letter, see?” Mary said in her laid-back way, showing the letter in her right hand.

Haytham was actually the nearest person to the letter, so he took it and gave it to Connor who chose to sit at Edward’s left, diagonally across from Haytham.

Ignoring his son’s annoyed gaze, Haytham just urged: “Quickly, Son. Before your grandfather worrying.”

Mary saw them quite with fun.

So Connor sighed, resigned, took it, opened it and read it.

 

Dear Father, Brother, and Nephew,

When you read this letter, I have joined Assassin’s Brotherhood…

 

“What?!”

That’s two What, from the only two Kenways in this very room, though Edward’s What sounded far more shocked than Haytham’s.

“Who dares?! Which Brotherhood?! American?” Edward stared at Connor with a murderous gaze, his voice covered Haytham’s whispered Oh how marvelous.

“No, Grandfather, we would never!” Connor explained.

“West Indies, then?”

“Don’t look at me, Kenway, it’s not us.” Mary raised her hands.

“Then which?”

“Uh, it’s British, Grandfather, it’s on her letter.”

Hearing Edward’s muttered curse of Miko you son of a bitch, Haytham slightly lifted his jaw at his son, signaled his son to continue.

 

… of the Great Britain. Now I’m steering my ship…

 

“What? Her ship?! What the hell does that means? Where did her get a ship from?”

Haytham shifted slightly in his chair, trying to feigned his not guilty, only caught by Connor, so soon Edward turned his gaze to his own son too.

“I might allowed her to use one vessel from our Order’s fleets.” Avoiding his father’s How could you? eyes, Haytham dragged his own son into this dangerous water. “Though I believe it is Connor who volunteered to help his aunt with dismantling all the Templar crosses on it.”

Connor looked Haytham with disbelieving eyes, while Haytham just chose to hold up a newspaper and begin to read.

Before Connor could say anything, he noticed his grandfather’s ill feeling eyes, so he just looked down at the letter and continued. No, he is not avoiding his grandfather’s eyes, he just wants to finish reading the letter as soon as possible, Grandfather is going to worry.

 

… on a course for London to attend to my Initiation. Anne is my first mate now, and she will take care of me, you don’t need to worry at all. I shall send you a letter once I am ashore. And please, Father, drink less.

Yours,

Jenny

 

“Relax, at least Anne is with her now, they aren’t going to drive the ship up to the sky.” Mary tried to give Edward some comfort, but failed, Edward just looked at her blankly, so she gave up, and left him to the other boys in the room.

“Alright, my job’s done here. Have a good day, Kenways.” She rose and left, and then, “Oh, and you too, Mentor Connor, I shall see you next time!”

 

Edward already left, went up to pack his stuff.

After hearing Edward’s I’m going to kill that mother fucker blast Miko, Haytham put off the newspaper which he didn’t read a single word at all, and asked his own son: “Have you been to London before? … Great, you will like there, now go pack your things up, we shall leave here very soon.”

Jackdaw took them towards to the Great Britain at next sunrise.

 

One of Mary’s hideout in America.

“Alright, they all leave, you are clear now.” Mary said to Jenny. “So, which Brotherhood you’d choose, my lady?”

“I haven’t decided it yet, I want to go and see first. I heard that New Orleans is a beautiful city, and it has a port, so we can sail there, you and Anne can teach me on the way!”

“Alright, blondie, just never tell your daddy.”

Notes:

I find a bug after I finished Jenny’s letter, she can’t join any Brotherhood before the Initiation, but it’s won’t have consequences in this fic, because the three Assassins here:

Edward doesn’t know it because he didn’t have one, Ah Tabai allowed him be one of them but didn’t give him one, although he could know this during his British Brotherhood days, but please just ignore it.

Connor doesn’t know it because he didn’t have one too, Achilles didn’t give him the Initiation ceremony, he just gave some words, and it even not the Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. I could never understand that old man, really.

Mary knows, but she won’t tell, she is the one helps Jenny fooled Edward in the first place.

I think Haytham may find it out secretly, Templars have their own Induction ceremony after all, but I don’t think Haytham would tell anyone, he is more like the I’d love to help my sister bully my father but no one needs to know kind of guy. He is becoming another evil and join Jenny’s team now, poor Edward, also poor Connor.

Chapter 6: Queen Anne’s Square

Summary:

Haytham shows Connor the portraits hang in their house in Queen Anne's Square.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Haytham led Connor into their house in Queen Anne’s Square, Edward still at the dock, he need to take care that old girl after such a long sail.

It’s a big house, very British, looked very much like their estate in Virginia - or should say that it’s their estate in Virginia looked like here, Connor decided.

There were some portraits hung on the wall - Edward’s and Haytham’s were on the left side.

Noticed his son’s gaze, Haytham looked at the portraits too. “After that fire, everything burnt down, including the paintings we collect, so your aunt painted some. These two are her work.” His eyes fell on his father’s painting, that blonde captain wore a white-blue Assassin’s robe, “You know, your robe is actually  made from his old robe, he gave it to Achilles Davenport, Davenport modified it and gave it to you at the end.”

Connor watched his father for a moment, who didn’t looked back, so he turned back to the portraits, and stared at his own father’s - the Templar was wearing his blue uniform and that triangular hat, but he looked younger, as young as the sketch he saw in his mother’s journal, a young man he himself never set eyes with his own.

“How do you know this?” Connor asked.

“A friend told me.” Haytham explained, “He used to be an Assassin.”

Connor knew who his father was talking about, Hope told him about that man before, Liam’s once best friend. She also asked him to never mention that man’s name to Liam or Achilles.

Haytham turned to the other side, so Connor turned as well. Here hung three female’s portraits, one was his aunt Jennifer - Connor noticed the brushstrokes in this painting were different from the Edward’s and Haytham’s, most likely done by his father, the other two, one with ginger hair and green eyes, the other with black hair and blue eyes - must be Jenny’s mother and Haytham’s mother. Father did look more like his mother, Connor thought, which was his grandmother too.

“And that’s my mother, Tessa.” Haytham told his son, “She moved out, after she knew what’s Father’s real work was, after I went with… my tutor too.”

Connor turned to look at his father. However, this time Haytham chose to continue his speech: “We can visit her sometimes, she will like you, as long as you leave your robe at home, and your weapons too.”

They couldn’t carry weapons on the streets, British law forbad. So both Connor and Haytham were armless - well, not that armless, actually, they still carried their hidden blades, and some trinkets too.

“You can take this if you like,” Haytham gave him a knife, a throwing knife, “Hide it under your clothes, only use it when necessary.”

Connor recognized this throwing knife, or said that he recognized this throwing knife’s looking. He didn't have to look to know that the knife had an eagle drawn on its handle - Haytham had lots of it, and they all looked the same. It’s one of this throwing knife saved his life - Achilles’ man didn’t cut the rope completely when he was hung. He found it after he was free, and asked everyone there that day, but no one own it, no one knew it, until he met his father, until he saw his father using the same looking throwing knife. It was that time he knew that it was his father saved him, and his father cared him.

“Then what should I wear?” Connor asked.

“I wanted to say that you can wear my old suits.” Haytham said, “However, they won’t fit you, you are much bigger than I used to be. So, let’s go to the tailor’s, before the sun going low.”

 

On their way to the tailor.

“You will probably need to go with Edward to meet with the British Brotherhood tomorrow.” Haytham told to Connor, “Help me control him - if you need to, of course. I don’t want to see any bloodshed, even the Assassin’s.”

“Where will you go tomorrow?” Connor asked.

“Visit one of my friends, perhaps. His house is nearby.”

“One of your Templar friends too?”

“Yes, he is with the British Army.” Haytham glanced his son, and continued, “It’s not John, stop glaring.”

 

The next day, when Connor went back home alone - Miko said he never saw Jenny, and she did not join the British Brotherhood, so Edward spared that poor man, and went investigating himself - he found his father was painting something by the window.

He went to his father silently, found there were two people already drawn on the canvas - his father and his mother, they both looked younger, and there was a blank between them.

“Would you describe to me that what you were like when you were little? Your mother never told me.” Haytham asked his son.

So Connor described to Haytham as he watching his father painting.

 

Later on.

“Why don’t you plaint me as a grown man?” Connor asked to his father.

“Because,” Haytham drawled, “I personally do not like it when you were in that robe.”

“What do you want me to wear?” Connor asked, he had a lot of different suits now.

“Hm…” Haytham stopped his painting, glanced at his son for a second, before he continued, “I wouldn’t mind to see you wear a Templar cross.”

“It’s not gonna happen, you know it, Father.”

“Why not? Red suits you.”

“No!”

“Son.”

“No, just give it up, old man.”

Notes:

The portraits of Haytham and Edward are in the book AC Unity.

Arnold’s mother left them when she found her husband killed for political reasons according to AC Wiki, so I borrowed that.

And yes, the Templar with the British Army Haytham was going to visit was Monro, but I won't focus on it, this fiction is focused on Kenway family alone.

Chapter 7: Jenny’s Career Choosing

Summary:

Haytham talks with Jenny once they finally find her.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

They found Jenny was not in Great Britain some months later, so Haytham suspected that she was probably still at America. And the truth was, she was indeed at America.

Instead letting Edward argued -  or said fought  - with Jenny, Haytham volunteered for this task.

 

“So, haven’t join any Brotherhood, I suppose?” Haytham glanced at his half sister’s left hand as they began to walk along the street.

“No, I haven’t.” Jenny said.

“Will you consider my propose, then?”

“To join the Templar, and work for you? No, thanks.” Jenny’s voice sounded very uninterested.

“Why?” Haytham asked.

“Why what? Choose a side, and argue with Father or with you? No, I’ve seen enough you and your son’s argument, and sometimes Father has to intervene you two to prevent your argument getting messy.”

Haytham sighed, but he said nothing.

“But I do see a lot unjust during my adventure, and I want to do something.”

“Oh? Please, intrigue me.”

“I’ve met a young girl, she helped to free a lot of salves. And I heard Uncle Ade did the same in Port-Au-Prince.”

“So you want to do the same?”

“Yes. I want to, and I think I will.”

“You may need some help.” Haytham pondered, “I can give you a contact list, if you wish, to assist your cause.”

“You will? Don’t you afraid that Father finds out, and finds you trouble helping me?”

“He won’t, I won’t tell him. And, if he finds out, just in case, and finds you trouble, juts tell him it’s me asking you to help me.”

“Why?” Jenny asked her half brother.

“Why what? Can’t I just do my sister a little favor? Em?”

“Then I shall thank you, Brother.”

“Ask for Connor too, if you need.”

“I will.”

 

Later on.

“How’s the ship, by the way? Still floating?”

“Of course! What do you think me as?”

“My arrogant pretty sister, I suppose?” 

“Not as arrogant as my brother.”

“Hm, I thought you would call me pretty too.”

“Grow up, Haytham.”

Notes:

Jennifer might join the Assassins if Haytham were not a Templar, but Haytham was, and here in this fiction, I think my Jenny wouldn't let her brother become the only non-Assassin in this household. So she wouldn't choose any side, and she didn't need to.

Chapter 8: Lady J

Summary:

Edward decides to run an secret investigation on who the mysterious Lady J is.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Edward had been secretly monitoring Templar cash flows—an old habit, hard to break, even now that the Order was run by his own son.

Lately, he noticed what looked like a new business partner on their books, and after some digging, he unearthed a name: Lady J.

 

He visited a few inns and bistros, listening for gossip, and sure enough, he picked up scraps of information.

Lady J was British, they said. Pretty, rich, always flanked by bodyguards. Officially, she ran a tea business, but more than one person swore they’d seen slaves near her warehouse.

Edward frowned at that. If true, it would be low—even for the Templars. Haytham would have an earful if he found out.

So Edward decided to see the warehouse for himself.

 

It stood in Boston, close to the port.

From the outside, nothing unusual—except for the unusually vigilant guards. So he waited.

During the stakeout, he mused over her name. Lady J. Jane? Joan? Jacqueline? Surely not… Jennifer? He snorted. Couldn’t be.

 

On the third day, a storm rolled in—heavy rain, howling wind, curtains of water thick enough to hide in. The guards huddled elsewhere to keep dry. Perfect.

Edward slipped inside.

The warehouse was large but almost empty. Straw neatly scattered on the floor. The air was stale but not rank.

Where was the cargo? He frowned. Could it really be a slaving operation?Lightning cracked, briefly flooding the room with white light. Thunder drowned all other sound. The rain pounded the roof like musket fire.

That’s when he sensed it—someone else had entered.

 

He pressed himself behind a pillar and peeked.

A woman. Tall, slim, elegant—carrying a dripping umbrella and wearing a silk dress, rain plastering it to her figure. Lady J.

She muttered something under her breath, dropped the umbrella by the door, and began lighting a candle.

Edward scanned for another exit, but there wasn’t one—no second floor, no windows big enough to squeeze through. And he wasn’t about to knock out a lady and flee.

Fine.

He straightened, stepped out from the shadows, and—just as he prepared his most charming smile—he got a good look at her face.

And promptly forgot how to speak.

The candlelight caught her red hair, loose and glistening with raindrops. Her green eyes widened.

“… Father? What are you doing here?”

Edward blinked, stupefied.

“… Jenny?”

Notes:

Edward: Let me see who Lady J is.

Jenny: Hi, Dad.

Edward: …

Edward: (stroke)

Jenny: … Dad? Dad?!

Jenny: (checking on Edward)

Jenny: HAYTHAM!!! CALL AMBULANCE!!! NOW!!!