Storytelling for Week 2: The Jackdaw who would be an Eagle

Author’s note: This is my storytelling project for The Eagle and the Jackdaw from Aesop's Winter Fables and I’m putting an Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag twist to it (well, it kinda turned out to be a Black Flag  retelling with the fable twist to it).  My reading diary post may help you understand more what is going on if you’re not familiar with the Assassin’s Creed mythos.  Another thing to note is that I’m treating Edward as a jackdaw and Duncan Walpole, the Assassin, as the eagle.

The Jackdaw who would be an Eagle

Edward was a jackdaw with eagle’s eyes – for he lusted after gold and infamy, yet had the ability to see the intentions of those around him (those colored red were enemies, blue were allies, and gold – well, gold was the target, they were the one who had what he wanted).  But, even with the skill, a jackdaw is still a jackdaw.

Cape Bonavista, 1715

The eagle waits. [x]

Cannon blasts ring around him, men were screaming and most were dying, and the pre-dawn thunderstorm does nothing to drown out the sounds of battle.

There’s a fire burning at Edward’s back and his captain shouting out orders, but Edward can’t look away when, as if in slow motion, an eagle dressed as a man descends from the sky and sinks his talons into Edward’s captain.  His cold, dark eyes, shadowed by night and a hood, look up at him – then he’s stepping towards Edward.

They stare at each other, the eagle, with the white hood glowing a brilliant red in the night fog, and the jackdaw.  And just as Edward goes to fly forward, the fire reaches the magazine, the gunpowder stores – and the ship beneath his feet explodes and sends him into the water.

The jackdaw faces down the eagle. [x]

Moonlight dances in the water above him, reflecting and mixing with the orange glow of fires.  He comes back to himself, just as his back hits the sea floor, and panic and adrenaline sends him swimming desperately towards the surface.

Edward makes it to shore, swimming through the wreckage of his still burning ship, as the sun begins to rise.

Then the eagle, too, is crawling ashore.  A glance at him and Edward can’t help but smile – the eagle’s wings had been damaged in the explosion and the red about him was slowly beginning to fade.  The eagle had an hour, maybe two.

“Havana,” the eagle says, “I must get to Havana.”

“I don’t think you have that long,” Edward says, standing and walking over to the injured eagle. 

But he gets too close and the eagle lashes out, kicking Edward’s legs out from under him and pulling a pistol.  Edward sneers when, after pulling the trigger, there’s nothing a click.

Edward doesn’t hesitate as he draws the swords that had managed to stay with him through the explosion.  The eagle fights hard at first, but he’s losing blood quickly and his movements become slower and slower.

The killing blow is quick.

"Mr. Walpole... let's collect your Reward." [screenshot from x]

In the eagle’s clothing Edward finds a letter and a cubed vial.  The words “If you truly possess the information we desire, we have the means to reward you handsomely” and “Though I will not know your face by sight, I believe I can recognize the costume made infamous by your secret order.”

Reward, is the word that Edward focuses on.  So he takes the eagle’s robes, who the letter had identified as Duncan Walpole, and puts them on.

Edward feels a rush of power – feels himself becoming an eagle.

It’s not until later, when he’s on his knees surrounded by the men who call themselves Templars, that he realizes that he wasn’t an eagle – simply a jackdaw dressed as one.

Just a jackdaw after all. [screenshot from x]

Bibliography

Aesop. 2006. The Aesop for Children. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co.

IZUNIY. 2014. Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag All Cutscenes Movie.

Keane, Mark. n.d. Tumblr. Accessed September 02, 2015.