Title: top of the hill

Rating: K+ (May be raised in later chapters)

Summary: how did Altair, join the creed? How did Altair and Malik become friends, what was Altair first (and last) girlfriend like? MalXAlt please give it a try.

The boy's foot stepped unbalanced on the stone, for a boy of eight he was fairly coordinated, or at least that's what his mother seemed to think. She was a beautiful woman, or at least that's what his father seems to think. The boy had grown up suspecting that his family life would continue as normal as possible, for a boy who could climb up stone walls with the slightest ease.

The Creed has never been one for taking on apprentices, they were too much hassle, most assassins would mutter under their breath each time the idea was proposed. So normally assassins were just guards to showed particular skill in particular areas. But this was not the case, for a tan boy in a gray shirt, accompanied by his beautiful mother and flattering father. In a normal as they possibly could be family.

One day, the beautiful mother, and the flattering father came to a very hard decision. They have been offered by a strange man to adopt their son for a large sum of money, at first, they have blatantly refused. But the beautiful mother grew very ill, and the flattering father needed money to take care of her. When the boy turned benign, the flattering father took his son's hand and led him up the great Hill. Pausing every couple of minutes to catch his breath. Being quite old himself, the boy bounced along, eager to discover what great treasure waited for him at the top of the hill.

The boy's heart raced as they approached the tall old looking castle, it was like somebody had trapped a bunch of grasshoppers in his body and he was trying to jump at the same time as all of them.

"Calm down, boy" said the flattering man softly.

The boy nodded, and down his upper body, but keeping his feet jumping on the floor, a bearded man approached them, no words were exchanged. The bearded man handed it to flattering man, a bag of coins and the flattering man and return started to pry his hand away from his suns. The boy looked around but he was confused, but relinquished his father's hand nonetheless. His father did not look at his son in the eye as he exited out the way he came. The boy looked at the ground trying to figure out every possibility to why his father would just leave him in the company of a bearded man. His silent contemplation was stopped by the clearing of the throat, coming from the direction of the old man. The boy looked up his intense light brown eyes were fixated upon the old man.

"Altair, is it?"

The man's voice was rough but calm, and distilled and the boy a sort of comfort. Even at this most uncomfortable time. The boy nodded energetically, his head bouncing up and down, the old man spent a second wondering if the head would just fall off completely… well that would be a waste he thought laughing slightly under his breath. The boy looked up as if he had a question, but spoke not a word. The old man sighed.

"I'm sorry but our dormitories are not suited to boys your age."

He examined the boy for a second then smiled, for some reason he had a good feeling that the boy would fit in. At least he had one other boy his age, and Malik could certainly use a friend. Or at least some company, that would bring him out into the sunlight. Instead of just sitting, all alone in the musty old library all day. He looked back down at the boy. The boy had grown quite still, he looked at the man unblinkingly arms held at his side all of the sudden, a drawl of words rushed out of the boy's mouth questions all jumbled incoherently together.

"Who are you, what I'm doing here, where is my father, how old are you?" The boy paused and took a breath in and started up the flurry again. "where do I eat, what you mean by dorm, when can I leave, what do-"

The old man raised his hand and surprisingly, the boy obeyed instantly. the room was suddenly became very quiet, uncomfortably at the old man tried to figure out precisely what he was going to say. Finally he decided on a statement that would not give anything away. Not until the boy was ready he decided to himself.

"All will be explained in due time. My boy, for now, take the right hall and go through the third door you see just tell the cooks that your new arrival."

The man heard a sniff from below him, the boy was wiping his nose with the back of his hand, and the old man looked down at the boy confused he needed an assassin, not a girl. The boy looked in the old man's eyes glaring now. Then stalked off in the direction, which the man had pointed. The old man smiled slightly behind the boy. All in due time, he thought to himself, All in due time.

Altair lay uncomfortably in his new bed, all around him. Men who were easily 3 to 4 times his age he grumbled in their sleep. It was too hot. He complained silently to himself. That's why he couldn't sleep, though that wasn't entirely true. But seeing that it was almost the exact same temperature, where he lived right down the hill. He tossed himself over to one side and closed his eyes tightly; he didn't know that a tear had slid down his face until it fell on his lips,cold. He sat up in bed ashamed with himself.

"Never again" his voice was hardly audible to him, as he wiped the tear ferocious from his lips. I will never cry again, he took a small pocket knife from out of his bag, placing it against the skin of his pinky. A small bead of blood appeared where he pressed down the knife. He took a deep breath and spoke as quietly as he could.

"I will never cry again"

He bit down on his finger, his mouth exploded with the taste of metal. He didn't know what he'd just done, but the ritual and it made him feel slightly better. It took him only a few more seconds to fall asleep, as if his blood served as some kind of a sleeping potion to the small boy.

Malik, lean against the post, examining the other boy. The boy was whacking a small knife, into a wooden post, judging by his facial expression, he thought he was the hot shit. Though hopefully if the boy, had the ability to watch, himself hit, a defenseless, wood post with a small carving knife. It would wipe that silly grin off his face. The boy looked up the arrogant grin on his face didn't slacken within the slightest. The two boys examined each other for a second as boys will do. Then , judging the new boy not to be a threat Altair raised his hand in greeting.

"Hello, I'm new here"

Malik, Rolled his eyes, of course he was new, but he would let that slide. He looked up, the boy wasn't done speaking he just taken a breath, Malik shifted his weight to his other foot, trying to look like he was paying attention.

"My name's Altair"

"Malik"

He responded to the boy's statements slowly, he had a very bad feeling about this, but he couldn't put his finger on.

Altair's Head fell gently against the table, he closed his eyes and pretended to snore, and dolling on the scroll Malik was trying to read. Malik showed no mercy, he elbowed Altair hard in the nose. Altair with that up quickly, looking at his friend, rubbing his nose. As a retort Altair pushed Malik, off the bench and onto the floor. The boys laughed, and Malik stood up and slid back onto the bench. They should have been learning Hebrew, but Altair was too lazy to learn, and Malik have learned quite some time ago. Altair, looked longingly out the window, but hated the library. He wanted to be outside fighting and running around and jumping off of clips and climbing up buildings. Stuff he was good at. Not sitting inside a dusty old library, for four hours a day.

Well that's it for a couple of minutes anyway; nothing inspires me to write more than reviews…. If you liked it… if you felt some sort of connection with it…. If you have creative criticism for the story… if you think that I should put…Malik and Altair together in the next chapter, if you hate my style of writing, if you love my style of writing… please please please please please review…. I'll love you forever!!!