Many thanks to my wonderful Beta, Juno57 for pointing out some rather crucial errors. :)
Altair knew he was in trouble the moment Maria stepped through the door of his study; there was a dangerously graceful sway to her hips and he had seen friendlier looks on the faces of his most determined foes.
"Shall I tell you a story, Altair?"
Altair looked from the scroll in front of him and back to Maria. Best to agree with an adversary while thou art in the way with him and all.
"A story? Unfortunately we are not children. I'm very busy. Perhaps tonight." He offered his most winning smile, the one which emphasized that scar at the corner of his lip Maria found so very fascinating.
"Then call it a parable, something very educational. A small bit of wisdom that even the Master has not yet made note of."
That tone was sending shivers down his spine to pool in his gut; likely not the reaction she was expecting, but he could appreciate her dangerous moods, delighted in them truthfully.
Altair made a show of pushing aside his materials, cleaning the quill and corking the ink, shoving the papers aside to leave a clear space on the desk. Without so much as asking his leave, Maria perched there, bringing herself face to face with him.
"This morning a certain woman, who shall remain nameless, went down unto the gates of the keep where stood one novice Yusef."
"You have a very poetic turn of phrase, my love."
"I've hardly even begun. You should ask this novice about my turn of phrase-"
"I hope you weren't too rough on him?"
Maria's finger pressed against his lips softly, tracing the curve of his smirk, "You may speak when I am through. Until then, not another word. Where was I? Oh yes. Imagine this woman's surprise when this novice informed her that by order of his Master she was not permitted to leave Masyaf until such time as she had spoken to the Master himself. Only, the Master was at work and she was not to bother him."
"Sounds rather like an impasse."
Maria tugged at his bottom lip threateningly, leaning closer than was strictly necessary until Altair was tempted to lean just the slightest bit forward and catch those tempting lips with his own.
"It should have been. Fortunately this was a most resourceful woman; she trudged through the practice courts until she found another assassin, one Malik Al-Sayf. It turned out that Malik, too, had a bit of a problem with the Master. He was all too happy to assist this woman in getting out of the fortress so that she could attend to her duties, and when she returned-"
"You should not have left." Altair snapped, "I had good reason for my restriction."
"Irrational fear is not sufficient reason for any action, Altair."
"Irrational? Our enemies are not gone, Maria. They have only gone to ground. Our peace will be short-lived, and with you carrying our child-"
"I thought as much. You will trust me to protect myself and your companions, but not my own child? You are a fool, Altair. I will not stand for it."
Altair reached out to lay a calming hand on her just-showing belly; "I want you here, in the keep, where I can be nearby should anything… untoward occur."
Maria snorted, "I was your prisoner once. Never again." Her bright eyes clashed with his darkening ones. "If you attempt to restrict my movements, I will only find a way around them."
"I will have a word with Malik and-"
"And doubtless hear a lecture you righteously deserve, novice." She growled. "I took Malik as a courtesy to you; a concession to your concern, if you will. By all means, reprimand him, for all the good it will do you. I will still find ways around your autocratic dictates!"
She was furious, and he wasn't precisely in the most forgiving of moods either.
Perhaps it would have been wiser to speak with her before issuing his command to the gate-keepers. Damn it, he was supposed to be in charge, but cursed if she didn't run the place with an iron fist.
It infuriated him that she had put herself and their child at risk; they had no way of knowing when or from where their enemies would strike and with her carrying their first child… couldn't she listen to him even once?
"You are being a tyrant." She murmured, a little more softly now. "Maybe I should have come back to discuss this with you before I slipped out– you know my temper– but you cannot issue these edicts without so much as informing me. We are partners."
Altair glared at her a moment longer; the obvious solution to the problem would be to distract her for now, he could see about arranging accompaniment later. "You're right." He leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips but Maria pulled away.
"I can see the thoughts behind your eyes. I shall not be made your prisoner, Altair. Not in my own home."
Altair smiled rakishly, hand shooting out to pull at the elbow that supported her weight, she fell forward into his arms and he held her steady for a moment, pressing his mouth to her ear.
"I don't remember ever officially deciding that you weren't my prisoner any longer."
"I think it was rather assumed when I attained rank and took to wearing an assassin's white; do you not agree?"
"I do not." Altair sighed in satisfaction as Maria pushed closer, her breasts brushing against his chest distractingly. She bit into the tender flesh where neck met shoulder, tongue sweeping over the abused flesh warningly.
"Then you mean to say I have been fraternizing with the enemy all this time?"
"I'm afraid so."
"That's a serious crime. I suppose I had better go." With a neat twist, she pulled from his arms and rolled nimbly off the desk to straighten her attire and turn from him.
"Where are you going?"
"I think I shall leave you here for a while, just to think on the consequences of that pronouncement." She threw a saucy grin over her shoulder, mood changing as swiftly as quicksilver.
He couldn't simply leave it at that, when she attempted to open the door he bounded up smoothly behind her, pushing it closed firmly.
"Would you not rather stay and negotiate the terms of your release?"
"There will be no 'negotiation'. I'm certain you will come to see things my way after a few hours of meditation… alone."
Altair leaned a little more heavily against the door, pinning her there between his weight and the solid plane of the wood before her. She sighed as she felt him pushing his face into her shortened hair, drawing a deep breath. His hands ran down her back soothingly, maddeningly. She jumped as his fingers found those ticklish spots just at the base of her ribs, pressing his thumbs there firmly and drawing aimless circles over the fabric.
"I didn't give you leave to go, prisoner."
"I don't recall asking your permission, Altair."
He spun her about roughly and she caught at his shoulders, nails digging into the concealed muscles there. Altair loomed over her threateningly, fingers ghosting up her ribcage to the ties of her shirt, fiddling with the closure purposefully.
He leaned down, teeth tracing a line along her collarbone, nipping gently at the pale flesh there. He sucked in a breath as Maria's hands traced up his abdomen, following the contours of the tautened muscles beneath his shirt, pulling insistently until at last she could slip a warm hand beneath to follow the path.
He brushed a calloused thumb over the seam of her lips, pulling gently until she opened to him at last; a gentle kiss. Altair was of no mind for sweetness now. He needed to feel her vibrancy, her reassuring strength.
He pulled back and slipped a thigh between her legs, shifting his hips so that she was pinned in place. Her eyes widened in pleased surprise, pink tongue darting out to wet her lips temptingly.
"Kiss me like you want to live-"
His words were lost when her hands shot out to twine in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him forcefully down to meet her lips. She licked teasingly along his lips until at last he opened to her, groaning as she caught his lower lip in her teeth to run them along the edge, bruising the skin there possessively. He leaned into the kiss desperately, tongue pushing into her mouth to duel with hers, but she would have none of it, sucking obscenely on the flesh until he drew back panting only to dip forward again, exploring his mouth at her leisure.
How did she do this? When had he lost control of this situation? He couldn't really find it in him to care, tilting his head back so that her questing mouth could find every delicate point along the line of his throat, teeth scraping and mouth sucking. He would wear her marks with pride tomorrow, he knew, but she wouldn't emerge unscathed either.
He tugged at the ties of her shirt until at last he felt them giving beneath the steady assault, chuckling at the way her breath stuttered and stopped at the feel of cool air against her flesh. He scowled when he couldn't push the shirt any further from her, hands growing a little rougher at the task.
"Altair, if you ruin this shirt I'll kill you."
"That would be black mutiny."
"If I'm your prisoner, then it's really nothing less than my duty."
"I'm beginning to reassess that claim."
He jumped when he felt Maria's teeth at the ties of his own shirt, tugging them loose determinedly until she could see his bare flesh. "I am glad to hear it."
Maria pushed him back until she could strip the shirt from his shoulders, uncaring of where it fell. He couldn't bring himself to care much either when her thumbs brushed over his nipples, tracing down the line of his chest to his stomach. He pushed her hands away, pinning them above her head with one hand as the other finally succeeded in freeing her from the confining shirt. If he weren't such a jealous man he would order her to wear much flimsier shirts. Knowing her, she would probably take to wearing chainmail to spite him if he tried.
Her head thudded roughly against the door as he licked a trail up the valley of her breasts, pausing to breath warm air over the sensitive skin, nipping at the curve of her breast teasingly. That bared throat was too much of a temptation to resist for long, he found the hollow there, sucking on the exposed skin until she was left panting, nails clawing at the line of his trousers, trying to find the release.
He shifted his thigh against her roughly and she rose on her toes to push herself against him, establishing a steady rocking motion without any further prompting. "So eager." He whispered against her flesh.
"Why are you still talking?" She hissed, scraping her nails over his hips as she pushed stubbornly at his trousers; this had the desired effect, he too was desperate to rid himself of the confining cloth to focus on conversation.
She growled softly as he pulled his thigh from her, robbing her of the steady friction.
Demanding wench, she knew what she wanted and he loved her for it.
She helped him to peel the material from his hips; he gasped in surprise as she took advantage of his momentary imbalance to reverse their positions, shoving him against the door roughly. Maris smiled up at him tauntingly, "Don't move."
He snarled at her in mock rage, but the effect was lessened somewhat by his buckling knees. Her weathered hands had caught his length, clasping him in her warmth as she swept from tip to base. That smirk on her face was going to get her in a lot of trouble one day, just as soon as he could think straight.
"Tables turn so easily, don't you agree?"
Yes, and she would do well to remember that.
She tightened her grip, slowing her motion until he rocked into her, stifling a sharp sigh. "Now, as I recall we were discussing my position as your partner; you said something about prisoners?" She hummed softly, "I would prefer to have your permission to leave the fortress. It won't reflect well on you if you can't even keep an eye on your wife–hellion though she may be."
He mustered the words to respond with difficulty, "At least take someone with you. You shouldn't be going out alone."
"Only the novices are restricted in that manner. Either permit me my freedom or impose the rule on everyone. I don't think your peers will respond too well though. Stubborn as oxen, the lot of you." Her thumb brushed over his tip and Altair stiffened, biting into his lower lip desperately; she knew she was going to win, and thus was in no hurry to prove her point. She leaned toward him and Altair lost his breath at the first touch of her lips, teasing and promising but maddeningly gone again.
"Your decision?"
"Damn you." Altair snapped, reaching out to catch her short hair with his fingertips, pulling her toward him once more, "I wish you would be careful."
"I shall; my word on it." She hummed contentedly at Altair's sharp cry when she drew him between her lips once more, tongue carefully tracing his length, taking her cues from the pressure of his fingers in her hair.
It was too much; he fought to keep his feet, knees bracing him back against the door as her hands joined in her work, circling his base to massage gently, cheeks hollowing in a way that made him writhe. If she kept this up, he wouldn't last. Turnabout was fair play indeed.
With a colossal effort of will, he finally managed to push her back, thumb brushing over her chin as he clamped his fingers there to pull her away. Maria's chuckle sent another tide of feeling through him that he resolutely ignored, falling to his knees before her, hands pushing her back before descending to work at the ties of her trousers.
"I'm considering a new rule. Everyone wears their robes, all the time."
"Seconded." Maria arched off the ground, helping him to kick the fabric away; she reached out her arms but he ignored her, hands gliding over her growing stomach reverently.
"I'm getting fat." There was an edge in that tone a wise man would do well to heed. He leaned down to press a kiss to her flesh, tongue dipping into her navel, swirling until he heard her gasp.
"You're not going soft, you are still a worthy opponent."
"Hm. You would do well to remember that." Her fingers twined with his, both of them simply luxuriating in the feeling of touch for a moment.
Altair rested his forehead against her, "How could I forget? You never cease to remind me."
"Are you-" She cut off as Altair dipped suddenly, tongue swiping over her center, pressing between her lips to tease the nub concealed there.
"Cheat."
"Everything is permitted."
"I'm not sure your creed applies." She gasped as he drew her ** between his lips, pulling gently at it, one thumb pulling back the protective hood.
"Our creed."
"Our creed." She corrected, arching into his touch.
He pressed his tongue into her, one finger slipping in to hook into her, causing her hips to arch almost against her will.
Her hands found his head, fingers twining desperately in his hair to hold him to her as he continued his skilled assault. She tugged insistently and he slowly crawled up her body, tangling his tongue with hers until they could each taste the other on their lips.
"Enough play." Maria rocked against him, hands descending to catch his hips and guide him into her. He was half-tempted to resist, draw out their play a little longer and evidently the thought showed.
"It's a dangerous thing, denying a woman what she wants; you can never be quite sure how she might react." Her fingers dug almost painfully into his hips before releasing to stroke the soft skin there.
He locked eyes with her as he slid into her gently, determined to make it last. Maria would have none of it, she bucked and twisted to trap him beneath her, staring down into his eyes as she took him to the hilt.
He grabbed at her hips, feeling the shift of her muscles as she moved against him, "Are you going to hold me here?" Her voice was hoarse with effort and it took him a moment before he could muster the will to respond.
"No, you were right." Those words cost him a lot to say she knew; her rhythm grew faster, rougher.
"Remember that next time." She braced herself on her elbows as she lowered to kiss him; his mouth opened beneath hers, needing no further coaxing. He swallowed her gasp when he rocked sharply into her, hands pulling her against him insistently; she determinedly slowed their pace. Altair's smirk really should have been her first indication that he wouldn't permit that for long.
She stiffened and writhed when she felt his hands sliding down her torso to find the place the place where their bodies joined, gathering the wetness there to swirl it about her nub.
Maria cried out, rocking desperately into him as she found her release. Altair bit his lip until he tasted blood, unable to outlast her as she tightened about him. She collapsed against him, allowing him to support her weight, breasts pressed comfortably to his firm chest.
"Next time, I am going to take my time with you." Altair growled playfully.
"Not much of a threat." She chuckled softly, " Tell me what you said was more than just a product of the moment. You are going to rescind your silly orders and I am going to march past Yusef without challenge. Correct?"
"Correct." Inwardly he was smirking, nowhere had he promised that she wouldn't have a shadow. If he ordered Malik to take that duty then he might actually take full control of Masyaf for the hours they were gone.
His hands fell to her gently rounding stomach once more, brushing lovingly over her flesh. Of course, Malik might well tell her of his intentions regardless of any warnings he might give. He would face her true wrath then, a prospect that would make even the bravest of warriors a little weak in the knees.
It would be worth it. Anything to keep them safe.