Learning | Jacob Frye x Reader |

The Issue of When and Where

Gunfire. Gunfire was all that could be heard. Well that, and the sound of men screaming. Jacob and I had been trying to reclaim an old watch house that towered over the Thames. We were currently leaping from old boats and canoes, dodging crossfire. I felt my legs becoming heavy, but somehow I still found the energy to keep pushing through. As I continued my way through the violent water, I saw a box of dynamite on a boat to my left.

"Jacob, move!" I yell at him. Jacob turns to look at me and jumps onto the next boat over. I shoot the crate and send some Templars flying. Jacob smiles at me and returns to firing his gun in all directions, in chaotic precision. I smile in satisfaction and continue on my way. Slowly, one by one, the Rooks started to outnumber the Blighters and soon took over the Thames. So naturally, Jacob led us to celebrate the only way we knew how.

"Drinks all around!" Jacob yells, sharing around drinks. I smile and take one. The bitter taste of beer ran down my throat. Laughter is roaring from every direction. Everyone was having a good time.

"Who's this Jacob?" he clumsily points at me. Jacob raises his eyebrow and looks towards me.

"Oh, this is (F/N) (L/N). She leads The Rooks with me," he says, smiling. I felt a pang of feeling proud. He's never said that before.

"With you?" he says, voice riddled with clear dissatisfaction. Just before Jacob responded, I interjected.

"Yes, why?" I ask, with a stern voice, placing myself in front of Jacob.

"Women can't fight. Or at least, not well. They weren't deigned to. You should go back home and find a husband. Or is that why you turned to fighting? No one would take you, eh?" he says, laughing. I take a deep breath, and throw a glance at Jacob.

"You're definitely right. I should find a husband and settle down. In fact, I should've done it years ago," I say calmly, pulling a nice smile. The man looks back towards his friends, and looks back to see a sharp fist thrown into his face. It hurt, I won't lie, but God did it feel good.

"I can't find a husband, but not because a man won't take me, but because you're all scared you can't hit as hard as me," I leave the bar, in high satisfaction. The cool air hits my face, and I couldn't feel more like I was on fire. I try to rejoice over the clear victory, but somehow, I am reminded of my mother. I pull out a cigar and light it. I take a long drag of the smoke and sigh. My mother never wanted me to do anything with my life, save becoming the wife of a rich man.

~ Five Years Prior ~

"Father! I like this one," I say to the man, who was too interested in a different gun at the present time. I nudged him to gain his attention. He looked at the golden gun that I had my eye on.

"No, that only holds four rounds. You need this one," he said, as he points to another gun. I nod in agreement. On the way home, we discussed training preparations for the next day and how I could be improving on my technique.

I often conversed with my father. He always had intelligent conversations for me, as opposed to my stupid brothers. Although I preferred all four of my brothers company to my mothers. My father had an arranged marriage to my mother, as he came from a wealthy family and she was a pretty women. Father had secretly discussed his unhappy marriage but didn't regret it because he got five 'treasures' out of it, as he would say. All five of us turned out like our father, and I like to think I have the closest relationship with him. Our mother was often at tea parties and didn't really pay much attention to any of my brother or myself, until recently that is. She kept saying that I should be improving my appearances and behaving more 'lady like'. My father always defended me, in saying that the battlefield is where my future lay. My mother always yelled and disagreed but my father was the authority in our household and ultimately had the last say. However, when my father was not around, my mother would always tell me that no man would take me as I am. As we arrived back home, I handed my coat to the front man and put on different shoes to try out my new gun. Just as I was leaving the house for the shooting range, my mother's screeching voice echoed the hall.

"Another gun?" she yells, furious. I sigh and turn around.

"Yes, and I am going to go practising with it now," I say rolling my eyes.

"You will not act that way towards your mother."

"Please mother, leave me be. Two more years and I will be gone for good."

"Where? Where will you go? With no husband and no money. No connections and no servants."

"I will join the Creed," I say, defensively. My mother looks at me with disgust.

"'The Creed' What a joke for a young women. What are you thinking? No one will take you seriously."

"I will make them."

"You need to marry! Secure your future!" she says, will trying to snatch the gun off me.

"I shall secure my own future, but thank you for your concern," I push her away from me. That evening I proceeded to shoot to my heart's content.

~ Present ~

I watch my smoke blow away into the distance and look down the building.

"Hey." I feel a hand on my shoulder. I jump back at the alarming touch and almost fall of the building.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" I come face to face with Jacob, who was now holding my waist in an attempt to save my life. I calm myself, and pull myself back onto a stable part of the building, releasing myself from Jacob's grasp.

"Oh, it's you" I say, letting a calm smile leave my lips.

"Don't get too excited." I roll my eyes.

"If it gives you any satisfaction, you broke the blokes nose." I smile.

"It does give me satisfaction."

"Don't listen to what he said, about not finding, you know, a husband," he says awkwardly. I smile and push my hand against Jacob's shoulder.

"I already have a husband, remember?" Jacob laughs and steps back with his hands in the air.

"You've got me there," he smiles and pulls out his own smoke. He pauses, before adding to his sentence.

"And don't worry, you can definitely fight well above the regular standard of any man."