Night Rain
Altair sat on a bench overlooking the river. The sun was already setting in Masyaf. A hawk shrieked in the distance, causing Altair to be pulled out of his daydream. A daydream or nightmare? Not even he knew. He stood up from his perch and began his walk back to the fort. He was a tall man; his hooded white robes billowed behind him. Under his hood his deep brown eyes scanned the crowd walking by him. Many of them he knew, some were families of the assassins at the fort while others were refugees from distant cities and towns. Walking through the courtyard and the small combat "arena," Altair began his stroll to the back of the castle. It was lovely here, flowers from all over the kingdom gathered on this piece of paradise. Water trickled down to a fountain at the middle level. Altair ambled past a few women and down to his seat at the bottom level. Here you could see deep into the canyon, the river flowing by below this giant balcony. Vines grew on the pillars above him. Altair pulled down his hood and swept back his slightly long brown hair. He sighed, closing his eyes in an attempt to sleep. But it was no use; his mind was too restless for sleep. He looked up into the sky and thought. What he was thinking about he didn't even know, his mind wandered into every corner of his brain and pulled out memories, orders, visions, and anything else he wished he could forget. Footsteps behind him made him come back to his senses. His master, Al Mualim, walked towards him with his black rode billowing behind him.
"Getting some rest Altair?"
Altair stood up and bowed, "just thinking master."
"I have a mission for you Altair, one that requires the utmost amount of secrecy."
Altair lifted an eyebrow and nodded.
"In the city of Acre there is a woman coming in at the docks from the north. I need you to bring her here safely."
Altair looked puzzled at his master, "a woman? Is she another trinket you want here to add to your collection?" Altair nodded over to a few women, each one seemingly more beautiful than the one sitting next to her. Al Mualim chuckled, "no my child, you will find that she is much like the eagle; beautiful, but deadly. Be careful Altair, remember to not tell anyone."
Altair bowed and left to prepare for his journey.