A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks again to Ilada Jefiv for editing this chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own Assassin's Creed, but I do own all of my original characters.
-Chapter 2-
An eagle soared over the mountain, searching for its nest atop the rugged precipice. Its powerful wings beat sporadically against an updraft of warm, dry air. Its exceptionally quick eyes found the carefully crafted dwelling within moments, and it banked lazily toward it.
The peaceful flight of the raptor was interrupted by the incessant nagging of other, lesser birds birds of prey, squawking, squabbling and causing a large ruckus. Unfazed, the arrogant eagle continued home.
It wasn't until the bird of prey had nearly reached its sanctuary that they attacked. Small beaks jabbed at the sleek feathers of the royal bird, pulling them out and causing a shriek of pain from the victim.
Normally, no one would even dare cross the path of the eagle. But today, the smaller birds were united by hated and jealousy and tried to rip the eagle apart, each attempting to take a piece of its flesh for themselves. Rather than die in the air amid such animosity, the eagle folded its wings and spiraled to the earth.
It landed amongst the trees, hidden from the hateful leers of the other birds. But the eagle was not dead; it would not be killed by hate.
The eagle would live on.
August, 1191
"Good morning, Rasha," I droned as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. It was the middle of summer and the sun still hadn't risen. At least we were in an actual house now, for Robert had purchased a large home for all of us in the rich district of Jerusalem. "Why did you insist I wake at such an early hour?"
"We have an important lead on the location of the Assassin's Bureau," Rasha said, her voice sounding chipper.
I instantly became awake, intent on absorbing any information she could give me. It had been nearly two years, and Asad and I were no closer to reaching the Bureau. Trying to find and follow leads only to discover that they were false was frustrating, but I always tried to tackle each one with renewed hope. This one would be no different.
Rasha laid my breakfast of fruit, bread, and water before me, knowing full well that I wouldn't touch it until I knew what was going on.
"If you'll eat and refrain from fussing while I brush your hair, I'll explain," Rasha said, idly running her slender fingers through her long, ebony hair. She began combing gently through my red hair while I picked up an apple and bit into it.
"Mmmph," I grunted, urging her to begin.
"Very well. A man called Fadh Al-Qadir is rumored to know the location of the Assassin's Bureau and has written it in a map. Tonight, he will be auctioning it off in secret at a prestigious party. You are to enter the party with Asad and steal the map from him so we can find the Bureau before the close of this year," Rasha said as she massaged my dry scalp with the brush.
"Whose party is it?" I asked.
"We do not know. The host of the party and many of its guests are not aware of the transaction planned for tonight," Rasha admitted.
My shoulders sagged slightly. This sounded like another false lead, but surely, I could learn something that wasn't entirely inconsequential.
"Very well. When must I leave for the party?" I asked, trying to mask the defeat in my voice.
"Asad knows where it will be held. You will leave once the sun is high. Hopefully, that will give you enough time to find it, for I am not sure how long it will take," my teacher explained, walking around to face me to observe her work. She sighed dramatically and folded her arms in frustration, pouting. "Your skin is so dry! I will have to drench it in oils to make it glow."
I bit into the apple, breaking the core and allowing the bitter seeds to fall into my mouth. Impulsion took over, and I spat the seeds out violently, catching Rasha in the face. She blinked wordlessly, too shocked to even squeak. I instantly felt every muscle in my body tense, fearing the wrath of my instructor.
"You could have killed me! Be more careful next time!" Rasha screeched, her tongue rolling menacingly over each 'r'. She ran back around the table and whacked me repeatedly in the head with the wooden brush, each hit causing another fragment of my pride to melt away.
It was going to be a long day.
I had not been to a party since Robert left us. I donned my old off-white chemise and a fine, floor-length gown of satin burgundy with ornate silver patterns embroidered in it over that.
"How can a woman expect to entrance a man with such unusual hair and eyes?" Rasha sighed as she braiding my waist-length hair and adorning the end with silver ornaments. "With words," I purred in my most seductive tone, teasing her.
Rasha clicked her tongue and smacked me on the forehead with the brush. "Save it for Fadh. It is time to go now," she said as she led me out of the room to join Asad.
"Sana, you look… different," Asad choked as we entered, his eyes wide.
He wore formal black robes, and his pale face was free from tarnish. Asad had grown much over the past few years, his angular features narrowing to a thin chin and jaw line. Rough, pale skin stretched tautly over prominent cheekbones and a strong, rounded nose. The only thing about him that looked familiar was his neat blond hair and large blue eyes with the same distinct wisdom inside them.
"I could say as much of you," I replied. He looked slightly hurt, so I grinned at him to show that I did not say that out of ill-will.
"Let's go," Asad said, his voice suddenly impatient.
"Both of you! Wait a moment," Hakim yelled from the adjacent room. He came running in carrying several small weapons. "Take these daggers, that you might have a lifeline should the party turn to chaos. Suleiman and I will come later tonight to ensure you have succeeded. This mission is more important than any that have come before it!"
I felt excitement bubble from within me as I stashed a single dagger in my chemise. Today I would reach my goal, I could just feel it.
Asad and I left the house hastily. It was already far past midday, and if we lingered much longer, we knew Rasha or Suleiman and Hakim would remember something they had forgotten to explain to us.
We didn't have far to walk, for the party was also in the rich district. The house looked like any other around but for the dark alley just behind it. I shuddered with ecstasy as I imagined one of the Hashashin waiting back there, blood pumping beneath the rough skin of their throat and just waiting to spill forth.
"Ah, welcome! I do not recognize you, but your fine clothes must mean we have met before!" a balding man greeted us drunkenly once Asad opened the door. We merely nodded and rushed past him, working our way in through the crowd.
Asad and I sat down on two of the comfortable seats available in the room and listened to the conversations around us, waiting to see the auctioneer or a bidder. Hours passed in this way with no sign of our target.
"Let me try to find Fadh," Asad whispered into my ear. I giggled loudly, and stumbled out of the chair into a shaky standing position.
"Oh Asad! What jokes you tell!" I said boisterously. No one seemed to notice, as they were all intoxicated as I was pretending to be.
I got up and walked away, hoping that he got the hint that I was better suited for such a task. My eyes flicked over to where we had been sitting, only to find a woman in purple robes sitting on Asad, her ample chest pressing against him. His red face indicated that he was rather uncomfortable, but I just chuckled to myself and went off to find Fadh.
"How much?" a man's voice seemed to ring over all the other noise.
I whirled around to face him, and fortunately, he didn't notice. He was a short, scrawny man with pale skin, dark brown hair, and equally dark eyes. I made a note of his appearance, and moved to find the one he spoke to.
"As much as you can offer for such a prize. Gold is exquisite, but knowledge precedes action, and action can buy you much more than gold," the other man slurred. I pranced around the two, working my way through the crowd. Eventually, I could see the second man who had spoken whom I believed to be Fadh.
He must have been in his late twenties, for his deep rusty skin looked smooth and carefully preened to flawlessness. My target had coarse, black hair and a faint moustache line above his thick red lips. I carefully memorized his appearance inconspicuously while trying to eavesdrop on the rest of the conversation.
"Fadh, we have been friends a long time, and you know I lack money, and I have a family to feed besides… but the actions you speak of will bring wealth to us both!" the smaller man pleaded.
"I believe no one unless they can show me the evidence of their claims! Return to me later when you can prove giving you this scroll would be worth the time and effort it took to create it," Fadh hissed and stalked away.
I followed him to a corner of the room where he poured himself a glass of wine and drained it. While he was drinking, I tried to open his pouch to retrieve the map, but he finished before I could notice.
He pivoted roughly on his heels and opened his mouth to yell, but I quickly put a hand to his lips and pressed myself against him. Fadh drunkenly grasped me in his arms, bringing me even closer.
I gently pulled myself away and signaled for him to follow me. The man seemed to forget my crimes against him as he followed me out into the alley behind the large house. I slipped a knife into my sleeve for easy access, carefully making sure it was still in its sheath and wouldn't harm me.
It was dark outside now. The only lights came from the lanterns along the streets and the full moon and stars above. The night air wrapped me in its cool embrace, causing me to shiver. I noted the scaffolding on either side of the houses, figuring it would be easy to climb should the need arise.
Fadh suddenly grasped me violently and shoved me against the stone wall. My quick reflexes prevented my head from smashing against the wall. I fell limply to the ground and let my eyelids rest over my eyes, feigning unconsciousness.
"Thought you could get away with that, did you?" Fadh whispered against the skin of my bare neck, leaning over my motionless body. "Now I can have a little fun and leave you to die. I've always been one to kill two birds with one stone."
The cold earth seemed to shake beneath me. He forced all of his weight on top of me, hands entangled in my hair. Rough lips hungrily lashed at my neck, sharp teeth nipping and stretching its soft skin.
He suddenly released my hair and began fumbling with the first metal clasp at my neck. I let my hands fall to my sides, discreetly allowing my right arm to fade into its loose sleeve and grasp the handle of my small knife. I pulled it out of its leather sheath and fluidly put my arm back into its place. Fadh was too preoccupied to notice.
The vile man shakily moved on to the next clasp, the heady scent of wine on his breath giving me a headache. I ignored the pounding pain in my head, thinking to myself over and over that it would be over in a few moments.
Now.
The cold steel penetrated his skin so deeply, the tips of my finger pierced his skin as well. His breath became labored, lungs filling quickly with fluid.
"Y-you whore! Infidel! Assassin!" Fadh gurgled violently. I pulled the blood-soaked blade out of his stomach and slashed his throat, nearly decapitating him. A torrent of blood washed over me as I forced the body off of myself and leapt for his bag, easily retrieving the map. After tucking it and the knife back into the leather bag and placing it safely inside my chemise, I threw myself at the wall, grabbing on to the first ledge I could find and frantically scrambling over the thin footholds.
"Up there!" Someone shouted. I didn't have to look down to know there was a swarm of guards below me. I didn't stop. I didn't think. I just kept going.
My torso made it onto the roof, but there was still the problem of lifting the rest of myself up. Just as I was about the make it, a rock struck me in the leg and caused me to let go of my grip on the roof. Using the momentum from my stumble, I forced myself back up and clawed at the surface, trying to find another hold. The stony roof wore down my nails as I slipped further.
The thought of falling from the roof and landing amongst the bloodthirsty guards overwhelmed me with a sickening feeling. I forced the bile down and bit my lip, grunting with the strain of lifting myself back onto the roof.
Fresh blood was spattered all over my feet, making running across the rooftops slow and treacherous. I reached the edge of the first rooftop and threw myself at the next, rolling as I landed to spare my weakened legs.
The guards were shouting in the streets below, rallying the others who were sleeping on their shifts. I just kept moving.
Run. Leap. Climb. Breathe.
It was difficult to see all of the features of the buildings with star light as my only guide, so I stuck to a more 'general' route of running and aiming for larger features like hanging platforms and ornamental boxes.
I stopped on a building when the cries grew fainter. The night air seemed thin and empty from where I was standing.
A sharp pain quaked through my body, the epicenter in my right leg. I collapsed as the fire burned in my leg, dampened by thick blood. I tried to sit up, but after seeing the arrow piercing my leg, I fell back again. I couldn't run.
Beat. Beat. Beat.
There was an opening in the roof in front of me. I could hear the hurried sound of light footsteps on the rooftops; it would only be a few short moments before my assailant was on top of me. I forced my arms to grab one of the beams in front of me to drag myself across the green roof.
I was nearly there, but I would not have anyone find the bloody knife or the map on me. I tucked it safely among the plants growing on the beams and stopped a moment to rest. Finally, with one last mighty pull, I threw myself through the opening in the roof and fell into the darkness below.
