New Lesson in Life
Running across the roofs of Rome was much different than the roofs of Acre or Jerusalem. One, you had more guards, the roofs were peaked and and clay shingles were extremely slick in the rain. I followed Ezio and Altair across them, avoiding arrows and shots from muskets. It was exhilarating. I had not been in so much trouble since I had stolen Altair's coin pouch in 1193.
"You know Ezio, there has to be different way to distract the guards than running around the roofs of this city." Altair leaped from one roof to the next, rolled and back on his feet in a matter of seconds.
"There are, but this way is the most fun and keeps them busy while the others takeout the tower." The young Italian ran across the wires that separated a building. "Besides, you look like you could use the exercise."
I chuckled at his statement. There was not an ounce of fat on the Arab. I should know. I had been caring for him for two hundred and fifty years. Up until a month ago that was, when he woke up. Since then, all he had been doing was working with Ezio in destroying the Borgia hold on Rome. I was just tagging along. Most of the time, I helped the smaller groups with their missions, but this time, they asked me to come along for back up.
"I believe it is you that needs the exercise, Ezio." Altair turned sharply and grabbed a low wall, vaulting over it and continuing his run from the guards. "How long will these men follow?"
"Me? Until I stop, or they fall over from exhaustion. It should be soon. They lack the stamina to run like we can." He followed the older man up the wall and over the next roof.
I jumped down onto some wooden beams and ran below them. I was not as adept as they were at running on the shingles, so I put my other skills to use. I had been a thief before I was an assassin. I was good at short bursts of speed and tight turns. I also was very good at hiding. Being smaller than the two men I ran with helped at ducking into areas they could not.
"How are you faring down there, Alanna?" I heard Ezio's voice flow through the alleyway I was in.
"Doing better than you two most likely. I haven't been shot at yet." I grabbed the hanging pot that was in front of me and swung around the corner of the building. Grabbing the next pole, I climbed back to the roof and got in front of them. "Come on boys, the bay is not much farther. We can swim the channel and get to the other side. They will not follow us."
I pulled a throwing knife out from my belt and launched at the guard closest to us. It hit him and he fell onto the roof. I did not know if he was dead or not. I did not care. It gave us some room to get away.
The channel was closing in. I could see the other side. Ezio dove off first, but Altair stopped at the edge. Why I did not know, but I continued on, grabbing his arm as I leaped off. Then, as we neared the water, I remembered. Altair, the great assassin, could not swim!
"Pinch your nose shut and close your mouth!" I yelled at him.
He complied and went into the water feet first. I grabbed him by the back of the collar and dragged him to the light. We broke the surface with little problem, but I was already tired and I would not be able to help him across. I yelled to Ezio. "Go. We will meet you there."
His dark head nodded and swam away. I held on to Altair and made it to one of the docks. We hid under it until the guards left. I looked at him. "I'm sorry. I forgot you could not swim."
He glared at me, water dripping from his curly brown hair. "I would have gotten away from the guards."
"You need to learn." I started to swim away, but he stayed, clinging to the post like a cat in a tree. "Come on. Use the posts to get to the wall and climb out."
He followed slowly, doing as I said for him to do. "I do not like the water." He grumbled as he climbed the wall and sat down, feet hanging over the water.
I knelt down next to him, laying a hand on his shoulder, trying to contain my laughter. He sounded like a child who did not get their way. "You must learn to swim in this day and age, Grand Master, if you are to get anywhere. There is much water here in Italy and no matter what you do, you must cross that water."
"There are bridges and poles. I can cross it that way." He shook my hand off and stood, water pooling at his feet.
"And if you are shot trying to cross those bridges and poles? What then? You are going to fall in, and you will be stuck under the water for all eternity. If you would like I will teach you. No one will ever know." I squeezed the water from my long braid.
He looked at me. "I will think upon your words, Alanna."
"That is all I ask." I walked away from him, a smile playing at my lips.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*
A few weeks later, we found ourselves in a similar predicament. He clung to the post under a dock while I smiled at him from above. "You know, if you had taken my help a few weeks ago, you would not be in this mess."
I was dry and smiling, while he was soaked and extremely angry. "Get me out of here!"
"Quiet if you do not want to give your position away to the passing guards." I was not in my robes, but a courtesan's clothes. That was how I got through the city. "You must learn sometime, Altair. If not now, then when?"
"When I am ready, woman. Now get me out of here." He growled up at me, eyes narrowed.
I chuckled. "Find your own way out, Grand Master." I stood and began to walk away.
"Fine. Teach me."
I turned and cupped my hand around my ear. "I'm sorry. I did not hear you. I was thinking on how funny it was to see you looking like a wet cat. What did you say?"
"You heard me, Alanna. Get me out of this watery trap and you will have your wish." He sighed.
"Excellent!" I walked back over and held out my hand. He took it and I helped him onto the dock. He laid there on his back staring up at the sky. "Your lessons begin at dawn, Novice. I shall wake you when it is time." I leaned over him, smiled and walked off, leaving him wet, angry and completely humiliated.
/*/*/*/*/*/*
"So, I guess our little plan worked?" Ezio stepped from the shadows in his 'borrowed' guard uniform. He grinned like a cat that ate the canary.
I fell into step with him. "It worked just as you said it would. Thank you for your assistance, Ezio." I smiled at him.
"A pleasure as always, Alanna." He bowed slightly and we parted ways, going opposite directions so Altair would not know we, together, had tricked him into taking swimming lessons.
This is the first of a few little things I plan on doing. This is a few of their exploits through time that I decided to do. If you do not understand, then read Reawakening. With these it will be from all of their views and different times through their long existence. Hope you like them.
