Rain, although rare on their side of the desert, did come; it came in wild storms that flooded the fortress with a muddy river. The sky would turn black and thunder would crack and lighting would streak the sky. Altair, although hopelessly afraid of water, liked the rain. He'd sit by the window that had no panes, and get soaked with droplets amongst the cushions. It had fascinated him since he was a little boy, how something so simple could destroy something that had taken years to create. How it could bring down mountains and drown cities if it wished.
Malik had been tutoring young novices when the storm hit. The sun disappeared, engulfed by huge black rain clouds as thunder started to roar. Birds took to the air in a flutter, taking refuge within the trees. The young novices looked around, dazed and awe struck as rain started to pour heavily. Many had only seen rain once or twice within the span of their short lives, so the experience of water coming from the sky was very alien.
"Come Novices, pack up your things, your lesson is postponed, now head back into the fortress." Malik said, gathering his things back into a sack and standing up. The novices bundled their things into their arms and looked upon the master.
"Master Malik, what's happening?" one of the youngest novices of the group asked as Malik held out his palm and scowled slightly at the rain.
"A storm is coming, little brother; we must get inside before it starts." Rain started to fall harder as the novices streaked up the hill, their clothes and skin getting soaked. Inside it wasn't much better. Water poured in through the glassless windows, the drapes pulled across them doing little to stood the rain from forming large puddles on the tiles. When the storm had disappeared there would be plenty of cleaning to do. Scholar assassin's ran about, gathering papers from indies coups and desks in an effort to stop them from getting wet
Once the novices had been gathered into their dorms, the assassin's reported in and made themselves comfortable, they could be waiting out this storm for hours, days maybe. One of the scholar assassins that helped Malik keep track of things scurried up to the one-armed man who was busy trying to cover his paper work up before the ink ran, there were too many maps here to go to waste, and he didn't have the time to re-do them.
"Master Malik, where is Master Altair?" Malik scowled at the scholar.
"Why, can't you find him?" the man before him shook his head, a look of worry carved onto his face. Malik's scowl deepened as he looked out the window. Oh, of course.
"That novice is going to drive me mad." Malik grumbled, breezing out his office and down the steps, black cloak flying out behind him. He stepped out into the rain and ran down the hill, being careful not to slip on the rapidly forming mud. A crack of lighting tore the sky in two, briefly blinding the master as he neared an enormous tree at was perched on the very edge of the gorge. Yes, there he was, sat in one of the large branches under a canopy of leaves, dressed in his black uniform for a change.
"Altair, what by Allah's name are you doing?" Malik shouted up into the tree, cupping his hands around his mouth in the hope of amplifying the sound. Altair turned in his position and looked down at Malik, a massive grin spreading onto his face.
"Come up here Malik, it's easy to climb." Altair shouted back, holding out one hand and leaning down slightly. Malik looked at him as if he were mad, but still found himself climbing with little ease up the slippery bark. After a long time, Malik eventually reached out for Altair's hand and was hauled up onto the branch besides the grand master.
"Altair, you will be the death of me. You have no idea how worried the scholars are" Malik panted giving Altair the look. Altair chuckled, pulling Malik against his body and sliding his spare arm around the older man's shoulders.
"You enjoy it really." Altair said against Malik's ear, his fingers slipping into black strands of soaking wet black hair that clung to his friends face. Malik snorted, pushing Altair half heartedly
"You think I enjoy running after you in the middle of a storm, why do you want me up here anyway?" Malik huffed, using his hand to ruffle his own hair in the hope of getting in back into some form of shape. A small family of hawks chirped in their nest on the branch above them and Altair smiled fondly, his golden eyes sparkling.
"I wanted you to watch the storm with me Mal." Altair said innocently, smiling a rare, broad smile that only Malik was allowed to see. The one armed man could help but smiled slightly at that, enjoying the way Altair's eyes creased at the sheer size of that smile.
"You want me to get wet more like." Malik chuckled as a thoughtful look spread across Altair's face. The assassin lifted his hand to pull Malik's hood over his head. He wrapped one arm around Malik and used the over to support the two of them on the branch. Their body heat served as decent warmth as rain sploshed down from fat leaves and onto their heads.
"There, is that better?" Altair muttered as Malik tucked his head under his chin. the rafiq hummed, smelling Altair's wet, dusty smell. Thunder rolled, lighting flashed and rain pelted down, the assassin's within Masyaf looked out the massive windows, wondering where the two masters had disappeared to. None of them through, that there was a sense of calm in a lone tree that sat right in the middle of all the chaos of the storm. But the two masters, sat there, silently taking in the scene and the sense of one another.