Some things an Assassin never forgets. An assassin will always remember his first kill, and the feeling it brings when you take the life of someone not worthy of survival. An assassin will always remember the ways of stealth, clinging to the shadows and striking at the prey's time of weakness.
But never does he expect to remember when his heart was broken, and by something considered so futile to imagine...
Altair squinted into the wooden cot set out before him. At suns highest, the light was dazzlingly streaming through the windows onto what the assassin was trying to make out.
A muffled gurgle and Altair took a step back warily. He knew not whether to approach the cot for the second time, but forced himself to do so anyway, as curiosity was beginning to take hold.
Suddenly a cloud dipped over the radiant sun, clearing his confusion as well as his path.
Altair surveyed the contents of the cot. A newborn child lay wriggling in it, its pink hands closed into a tight fist and its emaciated legs stretching out into the small space in which it lay. But why? He was puzzled, why had Adha told him to come to this empty Damascus house, and then vanished on his arrival?
The child gazed up at him; unclenching its fists, it reached up and held out its tiny fingers to Altair. The assassin paused for a brief moment, but soon found his own arm extending and his fingers closing around the infant's hand. He noticed that the baby was a little girl, and a beautiful one at that, as her dark brown eyes glinted brightly and strongly in the mid-day sun.
Gently, he reached down and slipped his hands underneath her head and back and slowly lifted her out of the cot. She gurgled and wriggled at first, her face screwing up from fear of the stranger holding her, but soon she relaxed and let him rock her in his hands. It was a very tiny newborn, Altair could hold her comfortably in both his palms, but he could see by her sparkling eyes that she wasn't going to let that bother her.
For Altair, holding babies wasn't what he'd intended to do this afternoon. He had badly wanted to see Adha, but her disappearance had made this impossible. His eyes met the infants; He had never been keen on children, they always had to get in the way and make too much noise, but the girl he was holding tugged at his heart in an unusual way.
His mind wanted him to walk out of the room and carry on as he was. After all, what was this baby to do with him but get in the way?
But then something struck his mind. He felt it deep down in the pit of his stomach, a pain gripping him harder and harder as all the reasons came into place. Altair felt dizzy with fear, but also with a slight edge of pride... It can't be...
Suddenly he felt a presence approach. Quickly he turned, still clutching the newborn, and distinguished Adha in the bright sun. Both stared at each other for a few heartbeats, as if they couldn't believe they were standing before them. The baby gave a squeak and they snapped back into reality
"Sorry Altair" She nodded at the girl "I didn't want to leave her with you for too long" Adha held out her arms and Altair passed over the newborn to her. Then he took a breath and looked away at the window
"She's mine isn't she?" he mumbled
Adha hesitated for a moment, not quite hearing what he said, but she nodded even so.
The assassin looked from his child to Adha "That is no child of mine" he said "I don't bear those looks"
"Altair it's your daughter, I know that" Adha pulled the newborn close to her chest "She has your eyes, the eyes that tell she's a survivor"
Altair couldn't take it in. He'd left Adha long ago, and the baby looked nothing like him. But maybe now he had to accept her into his life, whether he wanted too or not.
Adha was watching him closely "It can be our secret, no one has to know about this"
"I know, and that's what must be done" He met her gaze "But I cannot look after her my love"
"I didn't bring you here to ask you that, I will take full care of her" Adha forced a strong tone into her voice "But please don't abandon her, visit her sometime, no matter how tied up you are"
"I promise Adha" Altair straightened up "Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Yes, I'll get help, and you'll know if I need you" She gave him a brave smile "But I wish you could be with her Altair, watch her growing up"
The assassin hesitated. He'd grown to love his daughter in the last few minutes, and secretly in his heart he wished the same.
The brotherhoods more important he told himself
"Me too" He whispered "But I will come back" Altair bent down and kissed the babies forehead
"Farewell, the daughter that broke her father's heart"