(Y/N POV)

How had I not forgotten about David L/N?

He had been a man that I could not decipher. Everything about him led me to believe that he was, in fact, an ancestor of our family. Not just his surname but his features. I denied this belief entirely from the terrible acts that he committed against us, yet now that I stared at this sketch of him that I still kept with me, I hoped to find him. I envisaged that he despised me but the least I could do was talk and learn more from him.

After all, it was my duty to save this family.

Hamiltons and L/Ns had nothing in common; the Hamiltons only kept us alive. As brutal and unforgiving as it sounded, they served no purpose to us. If our task was to save our family then that was what we needed to do. There was no real reason to aide the Hamiltons, should anything happen to any of them. And still I would, despite that I shouldn't. They were my family now, though biologically, that was not the case.

I huddled into my coat whilst turning the corner for the town. Alexander had sent a letter to Angelica, explaining our circumstances. Yes, our. Emily had decided to come with me. If it had not been Christmas time, Alexander would have joined instead. But alas, he and Eliza had a family to take care of at this time of year.

My bag only had a supply of clothes, the book Valentino had gifted to me and the sketch in the hope that I would find him someday. It was unlikely, but now was my only chance. The book I brought along to read for whenever I became bored on the ship.

I glanced across the town: Mulligan & Sons. Hugh had retired a year or so after the end of the war and left to fulfil the rest of his life abroad. Meanwhile, Hercules took over the business with his three sons John, William and Hercules. Whilst the 'Mulligan & Son' was still fading away in bold, black ink, a vibrant 'S' was added in red to the end of it. His tailoring never failed to prosper but no matter how hard he tried, he could never succeed as far as Hugh had. He was right on his father's tail yet unable to grab it.

"Tell me, Y/N, what am I going to do on a ship for a month?" Emily questioned.
I shrugged. "You're the one who persuaded me to go and you're the one who chose to come along with me."
"Because it's London! What more is there to it?!"
"It is a city fit for royalty. We are far from royalty."

I peered to my left. "The docks are just down there." I stated. "If we can find assistance, then-"
"Miss Hamilton!!" I could not see through the crowd. Though it appeared that somebody was calling my name, I could not identify who.
"Did you hear that?" I asked.
"Hm?"

"Miss Hamilton!!" A man jogged up to us, skidding along the path. "Miss Hamilton-!" His smile grew bright through his beard and he took a bow before us. "I was not expecting you here!"
"...Do I know you, Sir?" I interrogated the man. He did not seem familiar at all.
He smirked. "Apologies, Miss. You... might remember me as Eric? Eric Harrison?"

My eyebrow twitched. "...Mr Harrison." Eric looked nothing like he used to as a young man. Alike me, he was now in his late twenties but with a fully grown beard and wrinkled forehead. He was just about the same height as I recalled and bared the same curled hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just visiting!"
"Visiting?"
"Yes Ma'am!"
"Where?"
"Relatives!"

Taking into mind my previous encounters with Eric, I was fairly sceptical of him. Of course, it had been 7 years but for all I knew, Eric may not have changed his ways in the slightest. Not only had my experiences with him personally had a tremendous impact, but the one he had with Charles. He threatened him. Over me. It was a pathetic ruse that I could not forgive him for.

"I was actually leaving for England in a week!" he announced.
"Ah-"
"What are you doing today?" -He glanced at Emily- "I suspect that we have not formally introduced, Miss!"
I sighed. "My sister, Emily."
Eric grinned, giving a small bow to her.

"And... We were just going shopping, for-"
"That's not true!" Emily grunted.
"I'm sorry?" Eric questioned her.
"Emil--"
"We were off to London. To meet the King!" she exclaimed.
"You were invited to meet the King?!"

Infuriated that Emily had caught his attention, I scrunched my face up. "Yes. And we were departing today upon his orders."
"Upon his orders? Were you required to pay?"
"N- Well y- N- No. L- Here." I took the letter from my bag and presented it to him. "We have been allowed free access."
"Free access, you say?

Miss Hamilton..." Eric put his hands into his pockets and crouched down slightly. "I have been desperate to reunite with my family in England over these past months. Hence, I was wondering if you would settle on... a small agreement. A favour."
"Eric, you are not coming with us." I ordered.
"Take it as a token of my appreciation, Miss!" He tried putting his hands upon my shoulders; I stepped back before he could. "You may need a gentleman to accompany you on your travels!"
"I need no gentleman, thank you-"

"Please." Eric forcefully took my hand. "Remember my grandmother, yes? Well she faces death. It looks her straight in the eye and I could never forgive myself if she were to leave this world without me!"
"You said that 7 years ago, Eric."
He looked around for another solution. "...Alright, well my mother, sh-"

"You're not coming, Eric." I tugged my hand away from him, hooking my arm in with Emily's. "We're leaving."
"Wait-!"
I rolled my eyes.
"...I promise that I will never bother you again."
"Implying that?"
"Implying that perhaps half of me wanted to come so that we could... talk."

"Talk." I mimicked him. "After you insulted the man that I was willing to court shortly before his death?"
"I did not know that h- that that was going to happen and I am sorry. But trust me when I say that once we depart from our time on that ship, you will never have to see my face again."
"...I'm lost, what's going on here?" Emily asked in confusion.
"I promise you, Sophie. Just let me come with you."

Eric was no man to trust in, but the persuasion that I would never have to see him again enlightened me. Alas, it would mean that I would have to surround myself with his toxic stench for a month. It was the last thing that I'd hoped to do but if the result was that he would become another anonymous figure to me in this world then so be it.

"...Fine." I agreed reluctantly. "Upon the condition that you will bother neither me nor my sister."

"You have my word."

~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for 40K on Act 1!

But really I'd just like to take this time and make it about you.

Every single one of you: your safety is a vital importance to me.

Please please please keep safe. I don't want any of you to be hurt by this, physically, mentally or emotionally. It's an extremely hard thing to deal with for most people and I completely understand that. But please, if you ever need to talk to someone, I beg that you do so. I'm also available if you ever want a chat :)

This situation is having a big impact on people's mental wellbeing and it's absolutely heartbreaking. So please, as I speak directly to you, stay safe. Follow the advice that your authority gives you, for not doing so could result in not only you but people you love becoming sick. You are unique, only you can make your own individual change in this world. So don't let some damned virus say otherwise.

I love you all :)