Because there seems to be a shortage of Altair and Maria fanfics, I decided to write one. As well, I just love this couple way too much to not write a story.

This takes place after the events of Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines.

Disclaimer: I do not own characters or plot (including the Codex page) of Assassin's Creed (I WISH).

Codex Page 7

I had thought Adha would be the one to lead me to rest, that I might lay down my blade and live as a normal man. But now I know such dreams are best left to sleep...

Her face. I try to banish it from my mind as I remember the days and nights during which I chased her Templar captors across the sea. I almost got to them in time. Almost. If I had only been faster. Instead, I held her lifeless body in my arms - saw the terror reflected in her fixed, unblinking eyes...

I hunted each man - one by one - until all responsible were gone from the world. But there was no joy in this. No satisfaction or release. Their deaths did not bring her back. Did not heal my wounds. After that, I was certain I would never again feel for a woman as I had for her.

I am fortunate to have been wrong.

Chapter One:

Sometimes I wonder what he thinks of me.

Our first meeting was one of shock; he had expected me to be a man.

Our second meeting, he took me as a prisoner.

I kicked him down the ladder when he untied my hands.

I ran away from him, only to be caught. But not by him, by my other colleagues, people I thought I could trust.

I was locked up like a prisoner once again. He found me. I was told he would come back for me. At that time, I seriously doubted it, but indeed he did.

However I was kidnapped before he could reach me, but I managed to escape, disguising myself as a consort.

My final show of contempt towards him was when I laughed in his face and fled, leaving him to defend himself against two well armed men.

I honestly wondered what his opinion of me is.

My best guess would be a very irritating former templar woman who is a magnet for all kinds of trouble.

But he did decide to travel east with me and I certainly can't say that I forced him into traveling with me.

I have to admit, I am growing fond of the assassin, maybe even a little too fond.

"Maria, there you are." I heard his voice from behind.

"Hello, Altair." I said pleasantly and smiled.

"I was starting to get worried, I thought you might have been kidnapped again," Altair admitted as he sat down next to me on the dock, swinging his legs so they were hanging above the water like mine. We were still in Cyprus, waiting for our ship to take us down to Egypt, from there on we will travel east.

"You know perfectly well that I can more than adequately defend myself," I huffed at him. I hated when he treated me like a child, something he does often.

"Oh, yes I know that quite well," he retorted, smiling slightly. No doubt remembering one of the time I had used physical violence on him.

"What have you been up to, Altair?" I said casually, staring off into the horizon.

"Apple of Eden," he said shortly.

"Ah. How is that going?" I asked, unconsciously tugging at my hair. A habit I have ever since I was a young girl. Altair watched me. It was a little disconcerting.

"Confusing, every single day, it is becoming more and more confusing." Altair sighed.

"What of it?" I asked.

"The Truth, this Apple beholds," Altair replied.

"Oh that again," I said, frowning. I had very little knowledge of the Apple of Eden. Only that it was important to the Templars.

"The Templars never gave you any insight to what the Apple of Eden is?" asked Altair curiously.

I snorted.

"No matter how high of a rank I would have possessed within the Templars," I tugged at a loose strand of hair hard in irritation. "I would have not been given any information to what the Apple of Eden is. I am, after all, a woman."

"Fair treatment or consideration for both sexes seems to be a very ludicrous idea to anyone, Maria." Altair remarked amused.

"And yet I still was Robert De Sable's lieutenant, Altair," I reminded him.

He looked thoughtful at my remark.

"Yes, you were. I have to admit, you are a skilled fighter. You definitely surpass some of the Assassins' skills." Altair said.

I flushed at that comment, reprimanding myself quickly as my cheeks turned pink. It was ridiculous I should feel so uncomfortable around Altair. It has almost been a year that I have been by his side, willingly or not.

"So," I said, recovering as fast as I could, "it is not impossible that a woman should be able to take the place of a man."

"No," Altair agreed, "but it is our society's conscience that restricts you from doing so."

"And yet, from every great man, a woman has bore him." I muttered.

"That is very true." Altair said, laughing.

I committed his laugh to my memory. It was so rare that one could hear Altair laugh. There were days I wondered if Altair could feel emotions for he acted so cold, harsh. But this was not true, he was human after all.

I realized belatedly that Altair had been staring at me for the past minute or so.

"What?" I asked, nonplussed by his gaze.

"Your hair is down," Altair informed me.

I had not realized that my hair, due to my excessive tugging, had fallen down from its confining bun I subject it to everyday.

"So?"

"You look lovely with it down."

I flushed once again, quickly averting my gaze elsewhere. Ridiculous, once again, that I should feel like this, he was only a friend.

And I was sure that Altair harboured the same friendly feelings for me, nothing more.

Besides, my best guess to what he thinks of me is an irritating former templar woman who is a magnet for trouble as well.

"It is nearly nightfall, we should be heading inside." Altair said, standing up and gesturing towards the inn that we were staying at.

I complied without saying a word.

Walking beside him back to the inn, I stole glances at him, hoping to read maybe some emotion off of him. But he kept his hood up firmly, making my task impossible.

I have to admit, I am growing fond of the assassin, maybe even a little too fond.