Altair looked down at the poor town of Masyaf as he tried to block the sun form his eyes. The young man was amazed by how the poor looked so happy and so miserable at the same time. Kadar looked at his friend from below. He knew Altair would stay up there till night fall, which was a few hours away. As soon as night arrived with the cold desert air Altair would jump off the view point and into a bale of hay and return, frozen, home. Kadar was determined not to let that happen.
"Altair, let's go. I don't want you to get sick again." Kadar yelled up at him. Altair looked down at his friend and nodded. He reluctantly got up and sighed. The young teenager flung himself off of the view point and into the hay near Kadar.
"Are you happy Kadar?" Altair asked patting the boy's head. Kadar nodded and took Altair's hand.
"Altair, would you like to come to my house? My brother wants to meet you." Altair looked at Kadar for a moment.
"Yeah." He said at last.
It was night fall when Altair and Kadar arrived at their destination. It would have been easier to go to Altair's house considering it was closer to the view point. But Altair was curious. What was Kadar's brother like? Was he mean? Was he kind? Kadar opened the door and walked in. He held the door open for Altair whose mouth hit the floor when he saw the luxurious house.
"Brother I am home. I have brought Altair." Kadar announced. Altair looked around. The house was huge. It had five rooms. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a living area, that was connected to the kitchen. The living area had such wonderful rugs and cushions that Altair wanted to sit and squirm on them.
"I'm coming." A voice said coming from the room upstairs. In a few seconds that felt like minutes a young black haired man emerged from the doorway and went down the ladder. The man wore fine white robes and had his left hand tucked in a pocket on the side of his robe. The man looked at Altair who was dressed in rags and was a tad sunburned.
"Malik this is Altair. Altair this is my brother Malik." Kadar said with a smile.
"So this is Altair?" Malik asked. Kadar nodded. Malik walked up to Altair and looked him over. Eventually he held his hand out. "Altair, it is a pleasure." Altair took Malik's hand. He had no idea what to say. He has never met someone with such fine robes or manners.
"Altair how you'd you like a bath before we eat? I can lend you my clothes." Malik asked trying to make his face soft. Altair was about to protest but then nodded. Altair was studying Malik and Malik was studying Altair. Malik led Altair up the ladder and through what looked like Kadar's room into his room. Malik pushed on a curtain that led to the washroom.
"You have a large house." Altair said. Altair had remained silent since he arrived.
"Thank you." Malik replied. Malik showed Altair the bath. It was rare for a home to have running water but not too rare. Altair had saw this once before his parents died when he went to school. Malik turned the faucet and let the water run.
"Is hot water flowing?" Altair asked
"Yes." Malik was silent till he turned off the water. "I will be right back with towels and a wash cloth. Go ahead and get in." Malik left the room to do as he said. Altair hesitated for a moment before pulling of his worn sandals and slipping of his shirt. Malik came back while he was taking off his pants. Malik's face looked like he was mad but Altair didn't know what.
Altair got in the bath as Malik put the towels on a stool. He threw the wash cloth in the water. Malik got some soap from a basket in the corner and handed it to Altair. Altair looked around for a moment then began to wash his face. The once blackened face was now a light tan.
After revealing his tanned skin Altair walked back into Malik's room. The robes that Malik had promised him was on the bed waiting for him. Altair put on the robes and felt immediate comfort. He walked around in the robes to make sure they fit before walking to Kadar's room. Kadar was sitting in his room, which was also well furnished.
"Where is Malik?" Altair asked. Kadar sat silent for a moment but then looked at Altair.
"He's making dinner." Kadar smiled as he looked at Altair's robes. "You look great in those robes Altair." Altair looked at the robes in the mirror. They were white. They had a white hood and a red belt too. Altair admired himself in these robes. They made him look handsome. He didn't look rich but he didn't look poor. He looked about middle class. Kadar stopped looking at Altair long enough to get a good hint of the smell wafting from below. Before Malik could say anything Kadar dragged Altair down the ladder and into the kitchen.
Malik was silent as he looked Altair over. He seemed to be a tad bit pleased by the way he looked. Malik had changed too since Altair was here. His robes weren't to different from Altair's just different shades. Wow. Altair thought I never noticed how dark his hair was. . . or how brown his eyes were.Altair was just mesmerized by the way Malik looked that he forgot that they were about to eat. Malik had prepared a basic meal of stew and spices along with bread and milk.
Altair looked at the meal with awe. He was poor. Poorer than poor. He never had a meal that looked, or smelled for that matter, this good before. And he never had anyone prepare a meal for him since his mother and father were killed. He thanked Malik for the meal and ate. After the meal it was too late for him to go home and Malik knew that. Malik offered Altair to stay the night.
"You can sleep in Kadar's room tonight." Malik said gesturing to Kadar. Kadar shook his head.
"Nuh uh. The cushions in here are too hard." Kadar said not understanding Altair's situation. Malik sighed and offered his room. Altair hesitated before agreeing. Malik lead Altair to his room where the two shared cushions.