Kadar was weak, even as a boy.
But still, he would smile.
The soldiers ransacked his village, pillaging and screeching in an alien tongue. He had only been ten. Malik had been his rock. The thing Kadar had clung to when the waves tore everything away from him. As he watched their hometown burn, Malik didn't cry. He petted Kadar on the head, took him by the hand and led him away. And for Malik, Kadar smiled. His brother grew a little stronger, after that.
And when the angel appeared, well.
Malik hissed like a cat, pushed Kadar behind him and swore like a maniac. Kadar hadn't seen the blood coating the angel's hands, his chest, and his face. The angel moved, and Malik yowled. The angel fell, a rabid beast with a single silver talon landed on his left side like a raindrop. Graceful, but devastating. The impact broke the angel's legs, and the beast tore the angel apart. Then it stood, and then he coaxed the two towards him like one would coax a jittery horse.
Then, the beast took them to a castle.
Then, Malik became a beast too. Kadar, had always been weak. He was slower, but he was learning. When the brothers met the Eagle, Kadar thought that maybe, it'd work out okay. But the Eagle was taken away, pushed and moulded into a beast rather than a bird.
And well, beasts aren't meant to have feelings, are they?
Kadar smiled. It was what he did. For Malik, his big brother. Kadar was weak. He couldn't protect Malik like he should. All he could do was watch as the older man fell apart, each and every time. Altair was a monster now, but he didn't know it. Neither of them did. Not yet. He was taken in for special tutorage, and now he was going away. In his place was a cold husk of a boy, a protégé that the bards would sing about for centuries. A child that they would morn for a lifetime.
When the Eagle got his hidden blade, Kadar smiled.
He praised, even though his words meant nothing now. Even though he meant nothing now. He would shrug it off. Forget about it. Although, when he and his brother were thrown on a mission with the Eagle, he felt his guts fall. Malik was adamant. Kadar smiled. They would be fine. It was Altair, he would look after them. Just like always.
Malik grew cold, but Kadar was always there.
It grew hard, but every time his brother fought with the Eagle, every time they tore each other apart, Kadar put them back together. They needed each other. Malik kept the Eagle's head out of the clouds, and Altair made Malik work hard. Kadar was just bridging the gap. He had always been a weak boy. So when the Eagle swooped, failed and was thrown aside like a doll, Malik leapt on the Angels like a wolf. Kadar followed suit. He leapt at the Apple, but something hit him in the back. It was warm. But it wasn't calming warmth, nor was it pleasant warmth.
Maybe he wasn't cut out for this, after all.
When the screaming stopped, and Malik rolled him over, he looked up. Malik's entire arm was painted red; his face was smeared with gore. Malik was mumbling something unintelligible, eyes watering, mouth creasing. So Kadar did what he always did. He smiled. He murmured quiet things, put Malik back together again. He wasn't getting out of this place, so he left the one thing he could with his only brother.
He left his smile, and his heart.
