I suppose the only thing I have to say on this one is: Spoilers! Fear them. For....well, I suppose, the first time you pop back to Desmond in ACII. And Bloodlines.

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Son of None
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She teetered dangerously for a moment, her breath catching in her throat, before she managed to regain her balance. She clutched the side of the building in a death-grip, trying desperately to peer around the city without falling to her death.

She caught sight of something – could that be it? She certainly hoped so, because she was not climbing up here again.

----

"What are you doing in here, Templar scum?!"

"Oh, be silent. If I wanted to destroy you or this place, assassin, I would have done so already." She snapped.

"How did you find this place?" He demanded, his hand on his knife.

"The same way you do, I imagine. I found a high building and looked around." She shrugged. "As for why I'm here, I need you to send a message for me."

"And why would I do anything for you?"

"Because I'm sure your head on a pike would send the message just as well." Honestly, these assassins…

He paused, considering. "What is this… message?"

She relaxed slightly. Finally, she was getting somewhere. "I need you to send it to Altair. You can do that, can't you?"

"Altair?! Why would you want to –"

"That is none of your concern." She snapped. "Just tell him I need to see him. It's urgent."

He looked her over. "I can't promise he will, since it's probably a templar trap."

She barely contained rolling her eyes. "If it was a templar trap, you certainly wouldn't know it. And he will."

He snorted, obviously not believing her. "And who, might I ask, is it from?"

"Maria. Tell him it's from Maria."

The days passed. She waited, anxiously, wishing she had had the forethought to make sure he'd had some way to contact her once he had Altair's answer. She had no doubt he'd come, she just wish she knew when…

And finally, it came. A dove, waiting patiently at her window, a note tied around its delicate leg. With trembling fingers, she unrolled the note.

He was here. In the city.

Turning, she grabbed her cloak, trying not to look suspicious as she practically ran out of the castle.

---

"Here she is." The rafiq commented as she dropped into the bureau. "Are you sure this isn't a trap, Altair?" He commented quietly to the hooded man beside him.

Altair chuckled. "I'm sure."

"So you actually came, Assassin." Maria commented brusquely. "I was beginning to wonder."

"You'll have to forgive my lateness. I was working." He replied with a smirk. "You needed to see me?"

She took a sharp intake of breath, her eyes flickering to the other man in the room. Altair raised his eyebrow. He couldn't imagine why she would want to see him, much less alone (he can't imagine her going to all this trouble for that, anyways), but he trusted her enough for this. He turned to the other man. "Leave us."

"But, Altair, she's a Templar-" He protested.

"It's all right. She won't try anything." Altair replied, shrugging.

The other man hesitated, but eventually yielded, giving Maria his best glare before brushing past her.

The two waited in silence a moment; until they were both sure the rafiq wasn't still hanging around, eavesdropping. A few moments more passed until Altair finally decided to break the silence.

"You'll have to forgive him. He's still young."

"And very fond of you, it seems."

A small smile tugged at his lips, "They just look up to me, that's all."

"Ah, yes, the greatest Assassin in the brotherhood, hero of the creed, right?" She sneered.

He chuckled. She was still a little hellcat. He crossed the room, pulling her close. "So." He prompted lowly, "What did you need to see me for?"

She lowered her eyes guiltily, pulling away from the assassin and turning her back to him.

"Maria?" He frowned, slightly worried, "What is it?"

She hesitated, "Isn't it sad? Here I am, a knight, who's faced villains of every kind, acting like a pathetic ninny over… over…."

"Maria." He said firmly, grasping her shoulder and pulling her around to face him. "What is it?

"I'm…I'm…"

Altair, now definitely worried – what was happening, the Templar's were planning a full-scale attack of Masyaf? – noted that she had never looked so small, so fragile. Whatever it was, it must be something horrible to reduce the normally fiery and proud woman to this.

"I'm pregnant."