I.
Where It Started

Mary Read supposed it started when she decided she trusted Edward Kenway. Perhaps that was the most foolish of choices. She told him where to meet her and to meet her in a few weeks' time, that she had something to show him. Of course then she had known her by another name. James Kidd.

She had trusted him with the secret of her being an Assassin – something she had told very few about just because it was not really her secret to tell. He had robes though –their robes. He used blades too – their hidden blades, taken off dead brothers and sisters. He had also killed a target of theirs so she supposed she could trust him, or she had supposed at the time. Of course his brilliant personality was shown to the Assassins and he was forbidden from their Order.

And for some reason, even after being warned away from him by Ah Tabai, she decided to trust him again. This time with a much more damning secret.

It all started with putting out the pipe. She didn't smoke often, only when she didn't have her makeup with her and it wasn't something she carried with her often. She had no use to it when she was James. Edward didn't pay mind until she was brushing the ash across the back of her eyes, darkening them just enough to make them stand out.

"With so many men about we can't rely on stealth alone" She told him, her voice still that of James Kidd, still just a little deeper, still rough on her poor throat. She put her pipe away, drawing a small dagger from within her jacket. She played with it a moment, glancing at Edward who was looking ahead, not minding her at all. She cut her thumb and brushed it against her lips, reddening them. "So, I'll do what I can to distract and draw their attention, giving you the chance to cut them down."

She knew he was looking at her now as she took her hair down, shaking it out so it fell across her face and shoulders. She licked the back of her thumb and much like a cat, cleaned her face. She reached into her mouth, pulling out wads of fat she held in between her cheeks and gums – to fatten her face, giving her a rounder and younger look, though she wasn't much older than she pretended to be. Finally, she lifted her shirt a little so she could unlace the corset there. Once it was loose, she pulled it off, setting it beside her. She unbuttoned her coat and shirt, pulling it down and she heard Edward draw in a sharp breath.

"Your name is not James, is it?" His voice was apprehensive. She couldn't help but laugh at him – her true laugh. Her real voice finally shone through.

"Not most days" she gave him a smile and stood. "Come on"

Her walk was even different, how she held herself. She knew Edward was seeing her in a new light. They of course had a job to do – well she did. Edward was here for his own profit of course. Finding Roberts – the Sage. She knew that was her job too, other than her kills. Obtaining and protecting the Sage was another assignment. One she failed. Prins died, but the Sage got away. She had let Edward have the kill, let him get a feel for wielding his blade for the Assassins (and only if because she promised him some coin if he 'managed to reach Prins first', not letting him know that was her plan all along).

Still, they met at the windmill afterwards. He was staring at her tits and she knew it. She ignored it though, rolling her weight to her left hip, smiling at him.

"So lass, whats your real name?" Edward asked, a cocky grin on his own face as he slowly drew his eyes up her form to her face.

"Mary Read to my mum and those I call friends" She told him. She moved closer and engaged her blade, pressing it into his crotch. Not hard enough to cut into him, but hard enough he saw. His eyes got wide as he looked down. "But not a word of it to anyone, or I'll unman you as well" His eyes met her's and she smiled widely and winked at him to let him know she was joking – mostly.

With that she turned away. She collected the corset she had tossed aside as well as the wrap she usually wore in her hair. She saw him staring at her as she walked away, walking like a woman instead of the man she pretended to be and she knew he was curious. How curious she didn't know and she wasn't going to ask or care. She thought she had made her point. He'd probably go back to his ship in a daze or perhaps stop at a tavern. With her job done, she could do the same – the tavern part that was. In reality she figured she best be heading back to Tulum.

She did stop briefly, finding a spot to slip into and change back to her usual disguise. It wouldn't do for anyone to see her walking as Mary Read. No, see men were funny about women on ships. If she wanted to be a seaman, that was exactly what she had to be. A seaman. Of course, she had known that for a while now, which was how James Kidd had come about.

Of course as she resumed walking, she passed by the small pigeon coop the Assassins tended to in Kingston, or at least one of them, and by it stood a lone Assassin. He was of course, as many were in the city, of a darker skin than herself. His dark eyes met her brown ones and he nodded once to her.

"Are you James Kidd?" he asked.

"Aye." She walked over to him.

"This came for you, Master Kidd" There it was – the favorite thing of many to call her. She wasn't technically a Captain, though she had her own small schooner, but everyone felt as if they should respect her. She did have a hand in founding Nassau after all, she supposed she did deserve some respect. He handed her a folded piece of paper, worn from being carried a long distance, probably from Tulum.

She read it quickly. She was good with her letters, luckily her mother had the foresight to teach her from a young age. When she finished, she looked at the man again and gave him a tight smile, handing it back to him. It was a request for her to kill yet another Templar who was known to be in the city right at that moment. He was a minor target but he had caused some trouble in Spanish Town recently and Ah Tabai just rather be rid of him than risk him doing something troublesome again. Mary could agree and since Ah Tabai knew she was already here, that was why he requested she specifically kill the man.

"Will you need assistance?" The man asked as she began to walk away.

"I shouldn't. Thank you though."

It was still dark out, though morning was threatening. It had been a long night and she was tired but there would be no rest for the weary. The paper had detailed some streets he had been seen on and she was sure that Assassin spies had gathered that information for her. She herself would do some recon but hopefully this could be ended quickly. She looked forward to going home and perhaps some rum. She was still a pirate after all, even if she made sure she was an Assassin first.

She found herself on the rooftop, overlooking the house of some woman that was not the man's wife. He apparently was a bit of a womanizer and he had a few favorites. The woman whose bed he had been warming was certainly not his wife, as they did not even live in the city. The sun had already peeked over the horizon as the man left the house, checking about him though the streets were mostly empty. There were mainly just guards about, their red coats making them easy to pick out from a distance. It was very early in the morning after all, and though the merchants might be out, as well as farmers, neither were in this part of the town.

She followed him from the rooftops, always aware of where the guards were. He almost saw her twice but she smartly ducked down, flattening herself against the rooftops when he did. She wasn't aware that she herself was being followed.

Finally he found himself on a street with a few more people. He was walking with a single guard, complaining of his wife. Mary found herself in an alley and after they passed, she began to walk behind them. She kept her pace quick, intending to sink her blade first into her target and slit the guard's throat. She would be gone before either knew what happened. As she got closer, her blade engaged, her arm lifting, she glanced around. It was a habit, to always be aware of her surroundings. Her eye swept over a tree with a figure in white within it.

Figure in white?

Kenway?

Her eyes swept back to his clear figure and she focused on him, nearly behind her, clearly following her when she ran straight into her target. She stumbled back in alarm and her target turned. He glanced at her, her engaged blade and stuttered something she didn't catch. The guard was quick to react, but she didn't care for the guard. No! Her target!

She lurched forward, blade aching to be buried into the man. He flinched back, just in time. She had aimed for his throat and instead only nicked him on the cheek. Well, more than nicked really and he grabbed his bleeding wound, running scared. Muted by the fear perhaps because he didn't call out.

She recovered quick, trying to race after him. She was fast so it would only take a few seconds – but that was before she felt a yank. She half turned, realizing the guard had grabbed her coat. She slashed at his fingers and reached for her pistol but he yanked again, harder and set her sprawling towards him. He probably had expected she was heavier than she was because she was flung into him and both of them went sprawling against the ground.

Somehow in the tangle of limbs she found herself laying with her back against the dusty road, arms above her, pinned by the guard's legs and his face shoved in between her thighs. He began to push himself up. She kneed him in the face as he did and flung him off her, inserting her blade into his stomach.

"You're quite the man killer aren't you?" It was Edward. He was approaching. He had some guts. Mary got to her feet and stormed over to him.

"You cost me another kill, Edward!" She hissed.

"I didn't stay your hand this time, Mary" He hissed back. "I didn't know you were so desperate for money."

"Money?" She huffed. "I'm an Assassin, Edward. This-" She turned, slashing at the guards who were quickly approaching. She cut into his face, slashing from cheekbone to chin. Blood sprayed towards her. "-is what I do. Its what I am"

"Well you've got it down" He fired his pistol into a man behind her. She ducked, drawing her sword as he slashed at another man above her. She capped a man with her sword and straightened to slash him across the chest. "Is that something they taught you?" They, the Assassins, "Of course it could just be part of a thousand ways for a woman to kill a man. Do you poison their tea too?"

She cut a man down from behind and found herself at Edward's side again. "Tosh!" She growled. "Shut your gob and fight, if you intend to help me" He laughed and they fought. She thought perhaps they killed seven or eight each before she reached into her jacket, removing some smoke bombs. She threw one down, covering her mouth with her sleeve. Luckily Edward had seen her intent and covered his own mouth and nose. She threw down two more and the two escaped to the market place where the crowds were all the thicker.

Together they found a place to blend in, leaning against a stand and chatting and laughing like regular friends. Guards passed by them a few times, scanning the crowds quickly but not taking notice of the two. Finally as they moved on, Mary turned her eyes to Edward. Their eyes met and they moved their location, leaning against a building not too far away.

"You owe me" She said as soon as her back touched the brick. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I killed Prins"

"And you lost the Sage" She pointed out. He frown, clearly not liking being reminded of that. "You distracted me and I lost my man. You're going to help me hunt him down"

"And what do I get out of it?"

"I don't cut off your balls" She frowned sharply at him. He rolled his eyes.

"No. I want payment." He frowned himself, thinking. That was dangerous and Mary found her brow furrowing. "I got it! How do you feel about a bet, James?" His smile was as dangerous as the thought he was hiding.

"I don't feel like it'll be in my favor with you grinning like that" She huffed, narrowing her eyes a little.

"All is fair in war" His grin didn't fade. Mary chewed on her cheek, an awful habit of her's.

"Fine, what's this bet of yours?" She asked, knowing that she didn't have a choice but to give in and ask.

"That we'll discuss when we found our man"

"My man" She corrected. "Let's split up and listen to what the guards have to say. Do you think you can handle that, Edward?"

"I'll meet you back here in three hours, Jim" And Edward was already walking away. She watched him go, a frown on her face. Why she ever trusted a man like him with any secret…She rolled her brown eyes in annoyance at herself. Three hours, right. She'd have to be quick.

A/N; First off I'd like to tell you all that I'm basing some of my writing off of the Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Novel. Especially the first part and if you did not read the novel and only played the game, then you're missing out. Still, I hope you enjoyed the first part of this fanfiction, of which I have many plans for.