The Children // ASSASSINS CREED ODYSSEY // DEIMOS

C43: The Loose Ends

"You need to relax" Eos said as she sat down on the steps of the ship; she understood that he was worried but, the two men that were supposed to infiltrate their ship were dead. Alexios was stood on the ships deck, eying the crew and making the most innocent of men feel nervous.

"Do not tell me what I have to do" he said under his breath as he stepped away from her. Eos sat back, her arms folded as she continued listening to Kassandra talk to the crew from the helm.

It was an unspoken rule that, if you were to be offered a place on the ship, you would do so knowing the dangers that came with it... and, not just the ones that involved bandits and war ships.

"You all know of the enemies we've made - that I've made - of the risks we take".

Kassandra hadn't wanted to believe that the Order would use her crew in a bid to work against her but, Glaukos had looked in to the correspondence that the men seemed to have shared with Cyrus and, at times, even another man and, it looked as if they were trying to do just that... There had even been a mention that they'd found someone on the inside to help them with their efforts - an old acquaintance that could have been bought if the right sum was given.

Kassandra knew there were some Persians aboard the ship, but, at the time, when Barnabas had found them - looking for work - the Order had not even been a whisper in the wind.

"We have evidence that one..." Kassandra stopped. 

They had the words of men who schemed with the best of them - what if this was just more of that... A way to pull them apart from the inside, starting with the ones who had been with her since the beginning.

And what if wasn't. 

Eos had to remind her that it seemed to be a strategy the Order used regularly - trying to make you overthink the most simplest of things, to make them make mistakes... ones that couldn't always be solved so easily... Eos was sure that's what they'd tried to do to her, make her overthink what it was the types of people she liked to keep company with - except, she wasn't going to let Amorges words tear her away from what she wanted.

She owed them that.

Kassandra started again, "we have evidence here" she held up one of the many letters, "that one of you may have been making a deal with the enemy. One that puts all our lives at risk". The crew began talking amongst themselves, many of them perplexed at the accusation.

Kassandra cleared her throat and the crew quieted, turning back to her.

"There were two men who wanted to acquire a place on this ship, and an old acquaintance already here that could be bought" Kassandra leaned forward a little, "I would rather you step forward on your own".

The last thing she wanted was to make a scene but, as she had looked around, trying to find a guilty face amongst the crew, she hadn't been able to. Nervous, yes but, having glanced over at her brother, she'd be nervous too if he was glaring at her.

None of them came forward. The crew all knew of the risks involved, of the precautions they had to take... It wasn't unlikely for a mercenary or a soldier to try and bribe them - especially if Kassandra had acquired a bounty on her head but, they also knew who it was that kept their both their pockets and bellies full.

Eos had pushed herself up and, Alexios had taken another step forward, the crew shrinking in size as he walked over to them, the men parting so he could walk in between them.

Kassandra sighed and put her hand on her head, massaging her temples - this wasn't helping.

Eos leaned back on the side. Ever since she'd told him about the baby, he'd been broody, quiet and... he just wouldn't talk to her. She thought it had gone well, considering but, as Kassandra had arrived, perhaps having found out a bit too soon for Alexios having being able to process it properly, Eos had felt him start to build those walls back up - so he didn't get hurt again but... it also meant keeping her out too.